Addiction
by Chained Yet Adrift
Summary: An addiction to anything can be dangerous. It can easily entangle those around us and once that chain has begun, it can be almost impossible to break. M/F Contains violence, lemon's, preg, and death, among other things. Revamped and Reworked!
1. Revisit The Past Part I

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Assassin's Creed.

This story was inspired after viewing a scene in AC when an Informant asked Altaïr if a woman by the name of Adah had returned to him, but to his disappointment, she had not.

So it has begun... Enjoy!

...

Beware, contains spoilers and takes place end game of Assassin's Creed I. Also contains minor spoilers for Assassin's Creed II.

An addiction to anything can be dangerous.

It creates a downward spiral of destruction.

Sometimes others can get caught in that spiral without knowing.

It robs you of almost all rational thought.

At times, you'll feel as you though you cannot survive without it.

Even find yourself doing just about anything to get it.

And once that chain of addiction has begun…

It is almost _impossible_ to break.

...

'He said that he would be here. Five years since we've last seen each other… and he's _late_.' she thought irritatingly as she paced in the dark, her small sandals clicking softly against the smooth tile.

Walking over to the slowly pouring fountain below the drop-in to the Assassin's Bureau, Adah reached down to collect the cool water in her palms before splashing her face in an attempt to gather her ragged nerves. It was strange being here alone at this time of night, especially when she could be out pillaging Jerusalem's more interesting rich district. It was littered with excellent spots to swipe expensive garments, jewelry, and other various trinkets from the greedy merchants and townspeople to resell at a considerably higher price. Yet here she was losing moonlight by waiting around!

But her anger began to ebb when his face appeared at the forefront of her mind and all the memories of years past began to take hold. He hadn't even bothered explaining what this was about or why he wanted to see her, nonetheless given her a chance to turn down his request. Yet somehow she was positive that if she hadn't come, he would continue searching for her while she was here now that he knew of her whereabouts.

"Just come tonight when the moon is its highest. I will leave the gate open." he'd told her before slinking back into the shadows and clambering up the ladder of the Jerusalem hospital and out of sight. She sighed, shaking her head.

Typical Altaïr...

But his aloofness made her wary and left her head a buzz of unanswered questions. What could he possibly want with her now when their friendship had not exactly ended on the best of terms? She rounded on her heel to finish allowing her thoughts to tread a hole in the floor when the toe of her sandal caught one of the many rugs that had been strewn haphazardly across the tile. Springing forward with a yelp, she just barely missed a nasty landing.

Looking down at her feet in the darkness, her eyes squinted, trying to make out the object of her fall.

"Why on earth would there be rugs strewn about in here?" she said aloud to no one in particular while leaning over to inspect it, her thick Arabic accent reverberating off the walls.

"Still clumsy I see." a low deep voice boomed next to her ear.

Gasping, Adah whipped around in surprise and nearly toppled again over the still bunched ripples in the mat until a large hand fisted itself into the back of her loose black wrap, easily hauling her small form into the air and successfully breaking her fall. Wide-eyed and startled, she back at him from over her shoulder him and let out an exasperated sigh at the crooked grin smeared across his lips.

"My God, Altaïr!" she heaved, placing a hand over her heart to try and still the frenzied thumping deep within her chest. "Don't sneak up on me like that. You know I always hate when you do that!" Her feet dangled several inches from the floor making her appear even more like a child than just her troublesome clumsiness.

"Hate is such an ill word for something I'm sure you do not truly mean."

Her mouth gaped open, working for some sort of reply that just wouldn't come forth. After lowering her to her feet, he then waved her off and slipped passed to kick the rug flat with the tip of his boot while she strained to make out his taller, looming figure through the darkness. She hadn't even heard the slightest sound when he'd jumped down through the roof. To this day, she had never understood how he became so capable of being so sneaky without even the slightest effort. An embarrassing thought of nearly falling to her death earlier crossed her mind when she tried to climb up the to the bureau ladder and past a rooftop guard of the adjacent Mosque next door. Thankfully, luck was her side. Boredom seemed to be to lulling the guard to sleep, offering the perfect opportunity to climb past and dip into the small room. How he couldn't have heard her sandals kicking and scraping against the patterned cobblestone as she tried to pull herself up, she didn't know, but she was forever grateful to the angel watching over her above. She had no desire to spend the rest of the night hold up in a disgusting cell under warrants of suspicious activity.

The cities security had definitely soured now that many of its threats had been silenced or driven out, leaving behind a group of unorganized hooligans to patrol the streets.

The soft whisper of cloth brought her attention back to her once childhood companion. Altaïr stood comfortably before her in the corner, his white robe giving off an almost ghostly appearance under the pale moon light. The opening of his hood was similar to that of a deep void, almost completely blackened out by darkness except for the vague outline of his long nose and lips. She watched him cautiously out of the corner of her eye when he leaned down to light a small burned down candle near his feet. He stood back to watch the flame illuminate the room softly then reached up to slowly lower his hood, his golden brown meeting hers for the first time in years.

Finally able to fully see him in the dim light, she tucked a loose curl into her bun and glanced up just in time to see him raise an eyebrow at her curiously. Immediately Adah huffed at him, still irritated with his unsuspecting drop-in a moment ago. He simply responded with a lopsided smile, her eyes rolling at his oddly carefree attitude, but eventually smiled back softly.

Pulling himself from the corner and padding around her quietly, Altaïr examined her while deep in thought over the many years that have passed since her disappearance. He had searched endlessly from city to city, but so few ever claimed to have seen her or knew of her whereabouts. Until three days ago. It was from a rooftop that he'd spotted her amongst the heavy crowds of people haggling with the merchants on cured meats and other useless knickknacks. He was trailing a rather suspicious looking outsider through Jerusalem, but quickly lost interest the moment he saw her running at full speed below him. He wasn't even sure it was her, but he had to find out. He ran along the rooftop after her, watching as she nearly toppled into the townspeople in an attempt to flee a small flank of angry guards shouting her out as a thief, among other obscenities. Finally, she came to a stop ahead and he was able to see her more clearly as she backed herself up into a corner once she realized she had inadvertently run an alleyway with a dead end. The guards closed in on her, sneering with disgusting comments about what her punishment would be.

Immediately, Altaïr hopped down the jutting wooden planks along the side of the building and wedged himself between the two opposing parties. He would never forget the frightened look on her face when he pulled several daggers from over his shoulder and dispatched two of the guards. Her hazel eyes bulged when he turned to her, his name slipping past her lips when he scooped her small form over his shoulder and hauled her up the side of the building and out of harm's way.

'Subtlety had never been one of her strong points.' he thought while looking her over.

Adah had changed so much over the years that he almost hadn't recognized her the moment he saw her. From what he could see through the thin form fitting wrap that stopped just below her knees, she had filled out quite generously since then. The scrawny little girl that used to grab onto the back of his sleeve and tag along with him as children had now blossomed graciously into that of a young woman. She was younger than him by a few years, but time had managed to age her perfectly. Her long brown legs, once so skinny as they awkwardly held her up had thickened to match the wide swell of her hips and her chest had filled out almost as proportionately, though just a bit smaller. Even those same almond shaped eyes, shadowed by thick smoke colored lashes were still as warm as ever.

After growing up in the poor district of Acre and never finding a husband to care for her properly when she was brought to Masyaf, Altaïr came to understand her choice and eventually gave up the relentless pursuit of trying to make her quit the strained life of a pickpocket. Only because unfortunately for her, she was cursed with the same opportunities in life that he had growing up, which were practically none. But even now he could see she still held onto her faith as he eyed the pearly white cross hanging from a thin cord atop the barest hints of her breasts.

Inwardly Altaïr despised the thought of her ever depending on another the way she used to with him and even remembered how her attitude towards being a thief had changed for the worse just before she vanished. When he was still training in the Brotherhood, she would spend all of her time looting through a city of her choice every week to resell the items she'd stolen at a different city the following week to lower suspicion.

"For a while I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

His eyes darted back to her face when her soft voice snapped him out of his reverie, her eyes averting quickly from his penetrating gaze.

She would never forget those eyes and the way they used to bore into her when she would return late in the evening, that disapproving and accusatory look silently telling her that he knew what she had been up to all day.

Adah began to wring her hands together nervously in front of her. Finally finding her nerve again, she greeted him with a respectable bow and whispered to the floor, "It has been a long, long time, Altaïr. I am grateful to God that you are well after all these years."

He just stared down at her quietly and responded with a slight nod when she approached.

"I see you are still with the Creed." she added with a somewhat sad sigh before running her fingers along the cured leather belt of his waist to admire the craftsmanship.

She held no animosity in her feelings towards the Brotherhood because she had grown up with most of them and it was the path he had chosen to lead in life, but it was also one of the barriers that stood between her and the life she had secretly wanted with him long ago.

"I am and have surpassed my Master. I'm sure you may have heard the news spreading through the towns as of late." he replied somewhat cockily before striding passed her to the back room and jumping over the counter to check its surroundings, hoping to find evidence that Malik had already departed for his trip and would not be returning for the night.

"Ah, so the rumors are true... Then I am happy for you, but I am a little confused, Altaïr. I heard that the Master of the Assassin's was killed..." she began as she stood in the doorway, watching him search. "What really happened between you and the Master?"

The whole situation had struck her as odd since Altaïr had grown to be so proud and appreciative of his Master's teachings in the beginning. What on earth could have transpired between the two to goad Altaïr into killing the old man?

"It is not something you should concern yourself with for the moment." he stated flatly to effectively drop the subject and continued on with his task.

"Oh. Then I meant no disrespect." She replied with irritation. "Perhaps I should just take my leave. You have things of your own to attend to and there is much this city holds for me tonight anyway."

His head darted up from behind the counter when she turned from the door to head back to the Bureau gate.

"Wait." He called out and quickly hopped over it and tracked behind her, grabbing her arm. She frowned and he ran a hand through his short dark brown hair, back pedaling his words quickly upon realizing his mistake. "I just would prefer not to waste the little time we have discussing the fall of my Master."

In essence, Altaïr had never been able to get the man off his mind. Al Mualim had been like a father and role model to him growing up when he had none... He was a stern and admirable teacher in every respect. Never had he imagined he would be raising his blade against him over what the old fool deemed to be "treasure."

Altaïr motioned for her to follow him, urging her away from the exit before he returned to the room, still intent his search.

"Whatever you're looking for is not there. There is nothing here in fact. I have already looked... " she replied quietly as she waited in the doorway, crossing her arms disappointedly.

"I did not ask you to meet me here so you could fill your pockets, Adah. Besides, Malik would know it was you." he called over his shoulder while giving the room a final once-over before returning to her side, satisfied with his findings that the Bureau was indeed gone.

She remained quiet as she stared at the floor.

"You will never stop this, will you? This thievery..." he stated, leaning his shoulder against the frame of the entrance way to look her over again now that she was in the path of the candlelight.

"It is my way of survival, Altaïr... not yours. So stop your worrying over matters that do not concern you." she retorted with his own response before turning her back to him. "If you wanted to meet just to argue about my way of life again then I am leaving."

Ignoring her frosty attitude, he reached up and plucked a golden pin from her hair that was most likely just a fraction of her undoubtedly stolen attire, watching the long ebony locks pool like silk down her shoulders and back.

She rounded to face him at just the right moment to catch him tossing it carelessly over his shoulder and into the back room, the sound of it pinging to the floor striking her ears. With a frustrated sigh, she moved forward to stalk passed him through the doorway, but a gauntleted arm suddenly shot up to bar her path.

"Altaïr, why have you brought me here? What is this about?" she said to him, attempting to lift his forearm out of the way.

Closing the distance by jerking her against him with same arm at around her waist, he reached up with his free hand and grabbed her chin roughly to smooth his thumb over her bottom lip. Knitting her eyebrows together, Adah stared up at him as a shiver crept up her spine under the intensity of his eyes.

"You are right, it is very good to see you again, Adah. But as much as I would like to sit and discuss your... disappearance," his voice deep and almost scornful on the last word, "there is not much time."

He turned to look up at the moon's position in the sky to judge the hour as Adah began to wriggle against him to loosen his grip.

"Not much time for what? What is this about, Altaïr? You know as well as I do that it is forbidden for us to even be here when the Bureau leader is not and you know how Malik can be. What if he returns early?" she stated, nervously looking up over his shoulder to the Bureau's fenced opening.

"He will not, I have made sure of that." he said in a low voice.

The letter he had sent Malik with a detailed description of where another part of the Piece of Eden could be found would keep him busy tonight until he discovered the map would unfortunately lead him to a dead end. He noted mentally that he would just have to apologize to him and give him a correct version of the map later.

"Then what is it that is so important that- AH!" Her breath was knocked out of her as she was hauled her up over his shoulder and carried to the corner to be dropped unceremoniously onto the various rugs and pillows she saw earlier.

"If you wanted me to sit you could have asked, Altaïr!" she blurted. "Now please tell me what is going on?"

This didn't appear to be going the way she had hoped and his aloofness was making her uncomfortable.

Altaïr said nothing and hastily began the task of unbuckling his right gauntlet. Adah watched him curiously as the heavy steel fell to the floor with a loud clink, his leather belt soon falling after it.

"W-what are you doing?" she questioned slowly, watching him work silently to divest himself of the many dagger holsters strapped to his body, each sounding noisily as they hit the tile. Once his robe began to come up and over his head her eyes widened in realization.

"No... You know I will not do this. I cannot." She blurted, standing back to her feet.

He continued on with his tasks unaffected, as if her words were nothing, but that of a jingling bell. She frowned and turned to stare at the shadows dancing across the wall from the flickering candle in the corner, trying to remember exactly how clear she had been in letter before her disappearance.

"You know, I am surprised that after all these years," she finally continued, "that you haven't changed in the slightest! If you had told me that this was what you were after-," her voice beginning to shake from the pent up anger, her hands gesturing to her body then balling back up at her sides, " then I wouldn't have wasted my time coming here. I thought you would have changed, but I see I am mistaken... It has always been only about this!"

She made for the gate to make her exit when the loud clatter of his long sword being thrown to the floor startled her out of her retreat. Suddenly, everything went a black and she winced against the blunt press of the brick wall against her back. Panic began to well inside her with a ferocity that was unchallenged by anything she had ever experienced before. She stiffened when Altaïr flushed himself against her, the pressure of his mouth attempting to devour her own while strong fingers wrenched themselves into her wrappings as if about to tear them from her body.

"Wait! PLEASE!" she cried, turning her head away from the silken lips burning against the skin of her neck. Pushing against his bare chest, she pressed back into the wall desperately wishing she could just fall through it.

It was all happening so fast! She bucked in an attempt to throw him off, but he ground his hips back in return, breathing heavily against her neck at the increased friction. Easily overpowering her, he grabbed her bottom roughly and hauled her up to eye level, wrapping her legs around his waist. His hips mashed into hers and he couldn't resist smirking against the skin of her neck at the way her hips were cradling his so deliciously as though they were designed for him alone.

Trapped against his weight, Adah rolled her head back against the rough mortar of the wall, whimpering quietly when the warm, wet trail of his tongue curled lazily across her throat. A familiar hardness was pressing into to her lower belly while a stray hand slid up her side to thumb a nipple firmly through the soft cloth. She squeaked when it began to circle the sensitive area around it before flicking back across the hardening peak that was betraying everything she stood for. Her mind was reeling for her to put a stop to this, but slowly she began to realize the sensations he was eliciting in her were slowly beginning to put up a very good argument...

With labored breath, her hips bucked into him instinctively when his head came up to softly trace her lips with his own, working effectively to melt her resolve. The strong, rough stubble rubbing against her chin and the feel of his lips skirting across hers so teasingly was quickly beginning to flood her belly with warmth. Large hands roamed over her feverishly to help remind himself of what had been lost so long ago.

'NO, you mustn't do this again. Not when you have tried so hard to forget!' said a small voice in her mind trying to push its way through the haze of lust that was spreading itself quickly throughout her body. She had promised herself.

But instead of following her instincts, she came to him anyway and now she was quickly losing control of the situation. She couldn't put herself through the heartache again... Especially when she knew how much the after effect he had on her could be so stifling. Never could she forget that horrifying effect of feeling completely used and awash with shame after the deed was done then disgusted with herself for allowing it to happen again no matter how good he made her feel. It was just an opportunity to couple... it always had been.

But for her it meant another part of her would crumble before him for allowing him to do it in exchange for nothing in return except a false hope that it could be something more. Then the overwhelming press of guilt and self loathing would always follow shortly after because as much as she hated to admit, she had been the one who started this whole mess.

+++Flashback+++

After her mother was killed when she was but nine years old, Adah had traveled with her worthless father on foot to Masyaf where he'd dumped her not far from the heavily guarded wooden gates. Barely able to feed himself nonetheless his daughter, he simply refused to be bothered with her anymore and bringing her to a small town like Masyaf would surely help her find refuge somewhere unlike the dangerous streets of Acre. Fortunately, it was the only good thing he had ever done for her because just days later an elderly woman caught her stealing pieces of bread and apples from her window and stuffing them into her starving mouth. The woman had snatched her up and promptly spanked her filthy hands, questioning where her parents were. But Adah could only purse her lips and remain as quiet as the dead.

She didn't need help from anyone...

Finally, after a thorough examination of the poor girls obviously disheveled appearance, the old woman decided to take her in. Adah had appeared to not have bathed in many days and if she did belong to someone, they would have a difficult time recognizing her underneath the layers of caked on dirt.

As time passed on, Adah soon came to realize and appreciate what it was like to have an actual home and as the woman began to care for her and not just keep her around for the work she did around the house. Plus, having a full stomach everyday could easily change anyone's sour attitude for the better. Eventually, Adah became respectful of the old woman and what she had done for if she hadn't, she most likely wouldn't be of this earth any longer by probably succumbing to starvation so early in her life.

The muggy heat was almost unbearable this time of year as the sun scorched the hot earth, punishing any inhabitants that dared to venture throughout their small town. Wobbling under an enormous freshly filled water vase, Adah followed the feverish dirt path back towards the lower residential area of Masyaf. This was the hardest part of all her chores, she thought grimly, but she didn't really mind. The sooner she did it the sooner it was over and she could relax in the cool afternoon shade. She smiled at the promise of a moments respite from the burning sun, but suddenly her thoughts were interrupted when she was mistakenly pushed by a small group of boys a little older than she that had been appeared to be arguing. Losing her balance and falling in an undignified heap in the dirt, the pot tumbled over her head, drenching her and her favorite green dress in water.

"Why don't you watch where you are going!" one of their voices rang out above her.

The heat from the dry cracked ground burned against the backs of her legs and she moved to get up and investigate when a hand suddenly outstretched, pulling her to her feet by the collar of her dress. She shrieked, thrashing against the hand that was dragging her up until she was placed on her feet and turned to find the golden brown eyes of a taller boy with short unruly brown hair looking down at her. His observant eyes scanned over the wet dirt clumps clinging to her long curly hair and dress.

"It was an accident..." she replied sheepishly to the ground even though she was well aware it them who had pushed her, but she wasn't looking to create even more problems for herself. As if a few hard spankings on her hands for coming home waterless and filthy weren't bad enough. She was still new to this town and did not wish to start a bad reputation with anyone. The boy remained silent and nodded as the trail of his eyes finally returned to her face.

She was tiny, he noted to himself.

"That vase must weigh more than you do." he stated flatly with a bit of sarcasm. Adah said nothing and continued to stare at the ground while picking small clumps of yellow dirt from the strands of hair around her shoulders.

"Hey!" he shouted over his shoulder to the other boys, "I will return shortly. Try not to get into any trouble while I am gone."

He then grabbed her wrist before leaning down to pick up the tall pot and shoved it under his arm.

"Hope the Master doesn't coming looking for you, Altaïr..." came a snide reply from one of the other boys with shorter cropped hair. He simply shrugged his shoulders and walked casually back up the path she had just come from with a disapproving little girl attached to his hand.

"What are you doing? I can fill it myself just fine! I do not need your help..." she whispered to him, looking around worriedly in hopes that he wasn't caught doing her chores seeing as it wasn't very becoming of a young boy to be doing so.

"It was my fault you were knocked down... I will refill it." he replied, leaving no room for argument in his voice. Giving up, she followed silently beside him as he dragged her through the busy passageways to refill the pot and allow her to clean herself up.

It hadn't taken him nearly as long to fill the vase as it did for her and it couldn't have been a moment sooner because the heat was threatening to cook them both. After thanking him for helping once it was full, she led the way to her home with him lugging the heavy ceramic vase against his shoulder. Most of the children seemed to think she was strange upon her first coming to Masyaf, but apparently that was a common they both shared which made talking to him much easier. He wouldn't elaborate much on his past and seemed to dodge the subject by twisting the conversation back to her whenever when she began to asking him too many questions. After a while she managed to pry him into telling her he was actually in training to become one of the Hashshasin she'd overheard the townspeople often speak of. She wasn't quite sure what that meant, but from the townspeople's words, it was someone very important.

Finally they stopped in front of the door to her new home. Adah thanked him again for his trouble, but he just shrugged it off. He placed the tall heavy pot over her head once again with little effort and reached forward to dust the remaining dirt from her shoulders.

"It is still much too big for you, but I can tell you're not as puny as you look... You'll be fine." He winked and threw a rather lopsided grin in her direction. Adah smiled back and attempted to wave as best as she could when he took off in the opposite direction towards the large fortress he told her was his home.

From that moment forth, she found herself coming to look for him every day at the large castle atop the hill when she was finished with her chores, unable to resist the urge to watch him train long and hard in the courtyard as an exciting way to fill the long days. He was such a mystery to her and she quickly found herself drawn into discovering what exactly he was to become.

Slowly as time progressed, she began to grow more fond of him, from going everywhere he went to even rough housing in the open field with the other boys. And to her surprise, he would always welcome her company as a nice reprieve outside of the castle where he could be free. If only for little while. He would even teach her some of his fighting skills secretly from time to time, unwittingly becoming her protector and her closest friend. Their bond grew even stronger over the years when the elderly woman that took her in eventually passed away, leaving her alone in this cold and unforgiving world...

She was forced to take refuge in the tall watch tower in front of the fortress after being put out of the old woman's house so it could be resold so sleeping in the hay was all she really had to look forward to anymore. Thankfully, Altaïr was sneaking away with food and lying with her at night so she wouldn't feel so alone. He was all she had now as a strong pillar of strength in a dark and lonely place.

And before they both knew it, Altaïr had also unknowingly become her very first love...

One night when the air was cooler than she would have liked, Adah lay quietly under her large afghan, trying to snuggle deeper into the warmth that lay beside her when she heard a low mumble and a heavy arm pull her close. The deep sound rumbled through Altaïr's chest and into her ear, pulling her from her thoughts. He had fallen asleep long before her, exhausted after a difficult assignment from his Master on the outskirts of Damascus. Shockingly, she had never really been afraid once she found out the true purpose of what it means to be a Hashashin. She was just very careful to never question any of his missions when he would return with angry specks of blood splattered across his white robes. It was better not to ask questions in fear of what the answers might be so she simply settled with praying for his safe return instead.

He had been a bit angry with her tonight, though. He stayed out searching all over the city after his assignment when she was nowhere to be found just to find out she had gone collecting "merchandise" again after he'd told her it wasn't necessary to steal and was dishonorable. She'd simply shrugged him off like always, but this time he seemed genuinely irritated.

After a long while he slackened up, relieved that she was back and settled down for the night. He'd said it was difficult for him to keep an eye out for her when she was out stuffing her pockets who knows where.

'I'm not a child anymore, Altaïr...' she thought matter-of-factly, looking up into his handsome face as he slept on.

Putting the argument behind her, she decided to begin her nightly ritual of examining his features that she enjoyed so much while he slept unbeknownst. It was the only opportunity she really had since she never actually found the strength to voice her feelings to him out of fear of his reaction and possible rejection, but she just couldn't resist admiring how attractive he truly was to her.

Adah's thoughts began to sadden as she mulled over the possibilities. 'Surely he wouldn't approve...'

The Assassin's had little room for loved ones in their lives, anyway. Not because of their lifestyle, but because of the dangerous possibility of their loved ones becoming a target. So to put it simply, it was strictly forbidden within the Creed.

She heaved a frustrated sigh and very gently began to smooth her fingers delicately over the bristly unkempt stubble peppering the strong curve of his jaw that just seemed to thicken more and more the older he became. Knitting his eyebrows together, his breathing increased as if he would awaken and she froze, refusing to relax until it steadied back into that of a deep slumber. Berating herself, Adah removed her trembling fingers and examined him intently to make sure he was actually asleep before she continued. She needed to be more careful not to wake him, but he was so adorable in his sleep that she simply couldn't resist.

Short, scruffy brown hair peeked out through the opening of his hood that had fallen back slightly in his sleep. It was always a tiny bit longer on the top than the sides and back, which he kept trimmed a bit more closely.

'Combs... They just don't seem to suit you do they, Altaïr?' she thought, giggling quietly to herself but that was one of things she'd always liked about him. Altaïr had grown into the epitome of masculinity in her eyes over the years, impossibly gorgeous in every respect.

The trail of her half-lidded gaze passed over the dark, prominent eyebrows that seemed to express what he was thinking almost as well as his eyes seemed to. She followed the tender path of her fingers until her eyes finally settled on the fullness of his lips, their round smoothness so impossibly tasty and inviting. She knew she never had the strength to do it, but what if she could get away with it?

'He would never know! Besides, Altaïr was a deep sleeper anyway,' she heard the little niggling voice in the back of her head. She smiled to herself, but it was too great a risk.

'Perhaps it better to not test the water. But my God, it would be worth finding out... Wouldn't it?' she thought, biting nervously on the tip of her fingernail.

Oh, how she wanted to!

Long ago had she grown fed up of always wondering, afraid of the possibility of denial, but what if he did accept her affections? But there were still too many 'what ifs' and not enough answers.

After a while her curiosity was getting the better of her.

It was either now or never again!

Slowly she inched up, pausing first to look around the room as if she was being watched then closed her eyes and ever so gently pressed her lips to Altaïr's for an unbelievably glorious moment that was too short lived. Pulling back quickly, her eyes darted over him to see if there were any signs that she had been caught, but apparently he slept on undisturbed. Growing bolder she inched back up and increased the pressure, reveling in the feel of them by prolonging the kiss and pouring all of her pent up emotions over his lips when suddenly she felt his tongue skirt across hers.

She gasped and immediately jerked away, flushing embarrassingly when his heavily drowsy eyes opened slowly.

"What are you doing?" his voice rough and laced with sleep.

"I-I-" she stammered and buried her face against his chest, gluing her eyes shut after failing to find anything else to look at for a change except his face. Mentally railing herself, she prayed he would think nothing of it and just go back to sleep! Why hadn't she just listened to her first mind?

Altaïr licked his lips of their strangely foreign taste and stared down at the top of her head for a moment, trying to push back the heavy fog of drowsiness. Was she doing what he thought she was doing or was his clouded mind playing tricks on him? But then again, if she wasn't then why would she hide from him?

When she didn't respond, he lifted her head up by her chin to search her face for an answer and from what he could tell, she was blushing furiously even in the muted glow of the moonlight near the balcony. Surprised and curious to find the answer was the latter of the two, he decided to put it to the test and very slowly leaned in. If she resisted he would relent and let her be.

He gauged her reactions very carefully as she remained stock still when his lips hesitated for a moment, just barely touching as they hovered over hers. When she didn't turn away, Altaïr finally sealed her lips to his own and she sighed, melting against him instantly.

His kiss was clumsy and inexperienced like hers, but to her, it was absolutely perfect. They soon found themselves exploring each other almost feverishly, ripping away any cloth that stood in the way and she loved every minute of it. Altaïr was exploring her body like a man starved of affection all his life. Her heart soared when she heard his voice against her chest asking timidly if he could have her, but it didn't seem like he waited for an answer because he began to attack all the areas that made her squirm and writhe the most, forcing her to cry out in the night against his nimble fingers.

And it was bliss...

But once it was all over her hopes of him returning those feelings never came and she felt like nothing but a foolish young girl because later that night he realized that that he probably wouldn't be able to give her what she wanted emotionally. Therefore an agreement was formed the two. It was only a chance to couple for solace. It could never be anything more. And with a desperate breath she agreed and every night that followed, Altaïr would come to her and slip under her afghan as she lay sleeping at the top of the watch tower. His warm hands would snake into her robes as he nuzzled his face and lips against her to quietly pull her from slumber's grasp and she would welcome his attentions every time hoping desperately that he would return her feelings one day...

But the feel of his heated skin pressed up against her as he buried himself deeper between her thighs under the cover of darkness was what she had to settle for.

Soon the weight of shame began to imprint itself deeper and deeper into her soul every time he appeared to smear himself all over her until she felt she would never be able to wash him away. She soon realized he was indeed a murderer, physically and emotionally because he was killing her inside... She may as well have been sleeping with the devil himself, but God help her she could not stop. He was a complicated addiction and it drove her crazy. His sometimes emotionless and over protectiveness of her had drawn her to him like a moth to the blackest flame. But the rules of their agreement assured there could be no devotion and never any strings attached.

Altaïr was still a newly emerging Assassin to the Brotherhood at the time and had too much piled on his plate at once to really worry himself with the feelings of an adolescent young girl. He tried to withdraw himself from the situation on numerous occasions to spare her feelings, but instead had unwittingly allowed their agreement to become his constant every night. Sometimes he even found himself seeking her out during the day whenever the time allotted and after several weeks it soon became obvious to him that he couldn't seem to get enough of her.

But eventually Adah had her fill of his tortuous disappointments and began to distance herself from him at night by shying away from his advances, hoping that he would subtly begin to catch on but he never did, or just didn't want to.

There shouldn't be any devotion and there shouldn't be any form of attachment, but Altaïr's own obsession with her soon became an addiction of his own just a little too late. He would find himself lying near her at night, searching for the right words to pull her back to him, but he wasn't good at such things and those words would never come. At least until the night he came for her at the top of the watch tower only to find everything that belonged to her was gone except a folded note and the afghan he'd given her so long ago still laying forgotten over the soft hay.

+++End of Flashback+++

To Be Continued…

Thanks for reading and review if you like!

-The Rusty Peach


	2. Revisit The Past Part II

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Assassin's Creed.

Thank you so much to those of who reviewed my first chapter! I really hope that I was able to truly convey the feelings of both of these diverse characters as well keeping Altaïr in as close to character as possible. Now on with the show!

Last chapter before the flashback:

...

'NO, you mustn't do this again. Not when you have tried so hard to forget!' said a small voice in her mind trying to push its way through the haze of lust that was spreading itself quickly throughout her body. She had promised herself.

But instead of following her instincts, she came to him anyway and now she was quickly losing control of the situation. She couldn't put herself through the heartache again... Especially when she knew how much the after effect he had on her could be so stifling. Never could she forget that horrifying effect of feeling completely used and awash with shame after the deed was done then disgusted with herself for allowing it to happen again no matter how good he made her feel. It was just an opportunity to couple... it always had been.

But for her it meant another part of her would crumble before him for allowing him to do it in exchange for nothing in return except a false hope that it could be something more. Then the overwhelming press of guilt and self loathing would always follow shortly after because as much as she hated to admit, she had been the one who started this whole mess.

The quiet whisper of scuffling continued to resound throughout the chamber and into the empty night. Adah was livid! This "friendly" reunion between them was not faring well at all and it seemed the more hostile she became, the more agitated Altaïr would get. He had asserted his dominance by quickly wedging himself against her and into the wall in an attempt to press her into submission with his advances, but she simply would not have it. Fed up with her persistent defiance, Altaïr released her but he did not relent. Grabbing her by the wrist, he flung her into the many cushions that lay over the rug. She winced as she hit the floor with a soft thud, but he hadn't given her any time to recover. He was on her in an instant, yanking her scarf over her head and pulling her sandals from her feet to join his pile of forgotten clothes in the corner.

Altaïr could feel her trembling underneath him just like so many of his victims who were about to breathe their last breath. Holding her down by her shoulder with one hand, the questing fingers of his other searched the thin cloth covering her flat stomach. The tiny ring of his hidden blade being ejected caught her ears and she shut her eyes, recoiling back against the wall. Once he found a bunching of loose material, the cool tip of the blade began to cut swiftly through the cloth.

'Has he lost his mind?' she kept shouting to herself as she thought of the situation she had just gotten herself into? She could scarcely believe the scene unfolding in front of her. She tried to calm herself by holding her breath as the blade carved through the fabric, tearing the material in two she let her struggling return full strength.

"Enough." Altaïr stated. The profound desire to claim her as his once again was undeniable and he impatiently began to shrug the cloth down her arms and waist to be rid of the infuriating obstruction that was keeping her from him. He hadn't meant to be so rough with her. He was just angry that she had allowed it to come to this by fighting him and was disappointed that she was trying so frantically to block out her past. Their past. When small tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes she reared a hand back, but he was a step ahead of her and caught her wrist before it could make contact with his face.

"Altaïr, what has gotten into you?" she raged, pulling against his iron hold.

He looked down at her coolly from his straddled position over her lap, his anger seeming to have tapered slightly now that her bronzed skin was finally exposed to him. The penetrating gaze of his eyes searched carefully through her own in hopes of finding a shred of proof that she had not completely given up on him. He leaned forward and her widened distressed eyes glued themselves to the full lips that were slowly closing in until they were locked firmly with hers in a gentle, possessive kiss.

The rough pads of his fingers traced lazy circles on the back of her neck as he deepened the kiss to further explore the warm cavern of her mouth. Adah was surprised to find herself inwardly relishing the forgotten feel of his lips and as soon her eyes drifted closed, she felt the corners of his mouth tug in a slight smirk. When he pulled away slowly, they stared at each other for a moment, each deep in thought until the sound of him clearing his throat broke the unnerving silence.

"You know, I have been hunting for you for quite some time Adah and I must admit... you have proved to be one of my most difficult targets to track yet, which means I have taught you well." He whispered into her ear, a slight smile graced his face toward the end of his comment.

"Apparently, not well enough since I am once again sitting here in front of you..." She huffed, fumbling to hide her nakedness from him. He just chuckled lowly at her barb and went on.

"Well, running at full speed through the city with a swarm of guards at your heels is not what I would call hiding in plain sight, now is it?" he countered and winked at her with that small knowing smile, his grip on her wrist loosening slightly.

Adah averted her eyes, but he hooked a finger under her chin and brought her gaze back to his. "Nevertheless, I requested your presence here for a reason as I was unable to explain in the streets, for I doubt you would have come to me."

She said not a word and continued to stare at him through soaked lashes with a perplexed expression when he let go of her again and undid the buckles of his last gauntlet. The moment it was tossed to the floor, she felt his strong arms wrap securely around her waist causing her start when his face nuzzled above the cleft of her breasts to inhale the exhilarating scent of her skin.

'_Why is he doing this...? He knows things will never be the same between us. His actions made sure of that.' _she thought despondently.

Being away from Altaïr had actually done her some good because it had allowed the wound of her broken heart to finally start stitching itself back together. And just when she thought the pain was subsiding, here he was to finish the job.

"I do not understand..." she sniveled numbly over his shoulder in confusion. "Why must you keep putting me through this?"

She paused, her frustration and fire returning, "I thought you would have understood when I left the first time that I am tired of your rejection and constant dismissals!"

The ever increasing buildup of hot tears began to blur her vision as she pushed against his bare shoulders in frustration. All of this was so overwhelming and the way he was crowding her was beginning to wear her down. She needed to get away, needed time to think.

"Stop this." He grabbed her arms and pushed her down on her back into the various pillows.

"Now calm yourself and put an end to this ridiculous fighting." his stated calmly, his voice stern and demanding. She stopped and looked up at him sheepishly.

"You know as well as I do that you cannot escape me so easily from in here..." he finished and leaned down to envelope her cinnamon colored nipple between his lips.

It was true that he had understood her choice in ending their agreement quite clearly, but it did not mean he would ever have to accept it. The moment she felt the warmth of his mouth Adah froze, the contact of long callused fingers fondling the neglected globe to his left. He observed as she gradually relaxed under his ministrations and commenced to massage her belly and deeply tanned thighs, longing to feel them wrapped around him again.

Suddenly, that distracting voice in her mind called out for her to get a hold of herself, reminding her of her promise to never lay her out in the cold again just for him to let it freeze.

She shook her head a bit to try to clear her thoughts, but it was becoming difficult to concentrate on what it was saying when her body was demanding so strongly to ignore it.

"W-we shouldn't be doing this, Altaïr..." Adah whispered, closing her eyes and snuggling deeper into the pillows to inwardly enjoy the feel of his lips and invading fingers. "You know I have sworn to leave this behind when I left long ago."

"Perhaps, but it appears your past has caught up with you, hasn't it?" he argued. "Never have you left my thoughts and I know I have never left yours. I had not rejected you... I simply could not give what you sought at the time."

When the grip on her arms tightened, she averted her eyes from his piercing golden brown gaze to stare absentmindedly at the not so distant wall to silently mull over his words.

He frowned at her own persistent rejection that was beginning to irritate him but with a tired sigh, he trudged forward with the overwhelming intent of getting through to her.

"Look, I-," she looked back up at him slowly when he paused, his own eyes averting their gaze to gather his words carefully.

"Things have changed for the better since your absence and I can offer a piece of the stolen life you have been searching for so desperately by putting an end to this... this constant pillaging of yours_._" He hadn't meant for the last part to end with such bite, but he had to keep going. Ever since she vanished he hadn't spoken a word of it to anyone, but now that he had her, he was powerless to stop the words from falling out of his mouth.

"I know that I failed you, but I had no choice. My Master created countless enemies for himself and his actions could have easily placed you in danger had someone discovered you as a link to get to me."

She frowned. "Yet you refuse to tell me what has transpired in my absence to change these things, so how could I possibly trust you again, Altaïr?"

'_And why should I?'_ she thought half-heartedly. She would have given anything to gain his acceptance, but instead he chose to crush her soul like that of so many others who fell at his feet. Why would now be any different?

"Try to understand. A life with me then could have condemned your soul to the pits of hell right alongside mine if something were to happen to you and I refuse to stand by and watch you burn by my hands. They are covered in enough blood. But now I reign as the Master of the Assassin's and my word is law... Things have changed."

"So instead you find other ways to damn my soul anyway by insisting on taking me outside of marriage? Against God's will?" she questioned with a rather heated expression. At last, her tears finally broke their barrier and were streaming unchecked across her temple, seeping into her hair and the mat below her head.

"No, you have already damned yourself by becoming a thief, remember?" he retorted, his face the usual emotionless mask except for a single upturned eyebrow.

But as much as she hated to admit it, Altaïr was right. She was no better. They both had their own sins to condone for and blaming them all on him would not save her already tortured soul.

He kissed his way up her chest after blanketed himself over her, his warm breath and long angular nose gently tickling the skin of her neck.

"I have thought long and hard over this and feel I must apologize by asking that you at least give me the chance to redeem myself in your eyes. I am not the same foolish and condescending man I once was…." he then whispered quietly into the shell of her ear, waiting patiently for a response.

With shaky hands, she hesitantly reached up and began to lightly run her fingertips over the countless angry scars that wove their mysterious tales across his arms and shoulders. There were so many of them... She had been the one who nursed many of the old fading scars since he would be too agitated and proud to allow assistance from anyone else.

He simply stated the Brotherhood would see his wounds as a show of weakness and error in his ability so he would just ignore the topic altogether. She was not exactly taught in the art of medicine at the time, but she found herself quickly learning with someone like Altaïr around. She would never forget when he would return to Masyaf during his earlier training bearing bloodied gashes along his sides.

Even to this very day, she could still recall the first terrifying night of his very first mission not long after they had shared their first night together.

+++Flashback+++

_She was helping him pack his horse in the small stable just outside the gates before the evening sun died behind the towering western mountain. Altaïr told her he could not go into any details, but spoke of the importance of the mission he was about to partake and that it would step up his ranks as an Assassin. It was his first assignment alone and he was swelling with pride that he had even been given the opportunity so early. But she was not so excited and was in fact a little worried for him. It wasn't that she doubted his ability. It was something else entirely and whatever it was... she just could not seem to shake it. _

_Later that night, she chose to sleep early after a long soothing bath at the fortress to help calm her already troubled nerves. That same inkling from before had been nagging at her as she anxiously awaited his return, but she couldn't escape it even in her dreams._

_An inky blackness surrounded her and the faintest sound of someone quarrelling seemed to be humming in her ears. One of the voices sounded familiar yet it was so far away, so angry, that she was unable to make it out clearly. _

'_When did I fall asleep?' _

_Her mind felt groggy and confused. She twisted slightly to force the rest of her to awaken, but her body did not appear to comply. Her eyes opened and a blinding pain shot through her skull as bright light poured in. She shut them and shook her head in effort to shake off the overpowering desire to sleep from her eyes. She decided to try her eyes again, this time albeit more slowly. _

_Hundreds of tiny seeds and bright vibrant flower petals danced in the breeze. As Adah took in her surroundings she discovered she was still in her night robe, lying on her side in the soft grass of a garden under a tall strangely looming tree, the sun beating down on her through its leaves. _

_Moving to sit up she discovered to her shock that she was being restrained by the roped bonds around her wrists and ankles behind her back that seemed to get tighter the more she twisted about. _

_Several voices chimed again in her ears, but this time they appeared to be getting closer. Their owner's steps were strong and sure as they trampled through the grass behind the tree, their bodies clanking loudly under the weight of armor. Slowly a pair of dark crimson boots stopped directly in front of her eyes. She looked up but the intense rays of the sun were blocking out this man's face. He was tall and burly and guessing by his armor, he was not of this land. _

_She heard him laugh, his raspy voice booming down upon her as he leaned down and fisted his hands excruciatingly tight into her hair, jerking her up to her feet. She tried to cry out, scream, something but the sound would not come. He pulled her head back and began to speak to her in a tongue she did not fully understand, his tone malicious and unforgiving._

_What had she done to deserve this? _

_He finished speaking and pushed her forward to her knees, the long ebony curls of her hair falling into her eyes. She found herself wobbling awkwardly over her knees as she struggled to keep her balance and avoid toppling to the floor. Flipping her hair behind her, she looked down and gasped in shock at finding a firm rounded belly sitting out in front of her. How long had she been with child? _

_The man behind her walked around to her side. She turned, glaring up at him angrily, still unable to see his face. He placed a hand before her eyes then outstretched it in front of her. _

_He was pointing at something. _

_She followed the path of his arm and as soon as her eyes found his target, they widened and immediately filled up with tears._

_Altaïr was tied down to a stone pillar that was leaning opposite the tree, flanked by two more men heavily clad in similar armor like the first. He had been stripped of his robes and weapons and appeared to have been whipped more than once judging by the bruises and bleeding cuts covering his torso. His face was downcast, his body unmoving. And for the first time in a long while, she prayed. God how she prayed that he was not dead and he must have heard her plea because his muscles began to twitch as he strained against his bonds the moment the man at her side said her name. _

_Altaïr became furious, demanded that she be released in exchange for his knowledge regarding the secret to unlock the Piece of Eden._

'_The Piece of Eden? What was he talking about?'_

_With a hand still fisted into the back of her hair, the man next to her shook his head at Altaïr and pulled his sword from his side to ease it under her neck. She looked back to Altaïr, her eyes silently begging for him to come for her even though she knew he could not. The tears poured from her eyes as the blade slid down over her breasts, her body twisting to get away from his grasp. The blade rose above her, the pointed tip angled down at her curved belly and all she could do was stare up at it in horror, praying it would not come down._

_Its path was swift and suddenly everything went quiet as the engulfing scent of blood wafted through her nose while it leaked down the front of her robes. She could still see the anguish in Altaïr's eyes as he jerked vainly to free himself, his expression malevolent and raw with a hatred that burned for the man at her side. To her relief, everything around her slowly began to fade back into that same inky darkness that had originally drawn her into this frighteningly, nightmarish world._

_..._

_That same scent of blood pulled her from her wakeful dreams. It was so strong and seemed to be all around her. Opening her eyes, she tried to scan the small room of the watch tower through the darkness from her bedding. Where was it coming from? She didn't even remember falling asleep... A bit sweaty from her dream, she reached to pull the afghan down her chest only to find a large spot in her robes sticky and soaked. In confusion, she pulled her hand up before her eyes to examine it more closely, finding it covered in a dark substance. She blinked for a moment until the realization hit her and screamed, shooting straight up from the bed. Her eyes darted next to her when a low grunt sounded in her ears. _

"_Altaïr!" she breathed, her fingers coming over her mouth. He was on his stomach barely moving and she shoved the covers all the way back to find them both lying in a small pool of his blood that was seeping along the cracks of the stoned floor._

'_My God! He must have stumbled in and collapsed!' she thought and immediately rushed to pull his robes up over his head. There was a ghastly slice across his back that crept down around his side. With a heavy grimace, she scrambled up to gather some water and bandage to close off the wound the best she knew how... _

_To her shock, she later discovered that her bothersome intuition had been right, but there was no way any of them could have known that Altaïr would be deceived by the very man he had been sent to protect. Thus was the uncertain life of the Hashshashin..._

+++End Flashback+++

She still had been unable to make any sense of that dream. It just seemed so real and the dreadful effect of it was worsened by waking to the sight of him bleeding to death. The feel of a hand sliding up her side snapped her back to reality. Surprisingly enough, his warm weight above her had become somewhat comforting so she just lay there quietly, staring up at the night sky through the fence above while the emotional surge of all of this took its toll.

How long had she anxiously awaited this moment when Altaïr would accept her affections instead of shunning them? She couldn't even remember anymore, but it did not take long to realize that the sheer thrill of finally getting it had long ago lost its luster.

A warm wetness on his jaw quickly brought his attention back to Adah's face and he gently wiped at the little flood of tears along her cheek with his thumb. He remained silent, just staring quietly down into her hazel eyes, the tiniest hint of desperation flickering in his own by the faint candlelight in the corner.

A whirlwind of questions were storming through her mind as she looked up at him.

_Why hadn't he just told her the truth back then?_

_Had Altaïr actually changed? _

_Could she even bring herself to take that leap with him again?_

_And most importantly, would he let her fall?_

Her thoughts were interrupted when he reached up to remove her hands from his neck, moving to stand up and out of reach. She looked up at him nervously and extended a hand to him, but he shook his head and gingerly began to undo the long red sash at his waist. Her heart raced in her ears as she watched his long fingers make quick work of the ribbon until it loosened and the trousers sagged low around the hipbones of his slim waist, revealing the dark trail of hair that lead into them from below his belly button. Her eyes traveled lower and her cheeks burned when the garments fell to the floor. He stepped out of them and stared down at her contentedly as he walked around to her side of the rug in all his naked glory. Instantly she scuttled back and away from him.

No, she knew she shouldn't!

What if this was just a repeat of before? There was no possible way she would be able to withstand the unbearable sting of humiliation if he used her once again.

But God, he was so handsome and tempting and so strictly forbidden. And he was just standing there as bare as the day he was born, watching her with that same mocking smirk etched across his lips as she stared at her lap, her eyes darting from one direction to the other. She was contemplating. He knew she was battling within herself and from the looks of it, he was winning.

She was so deep in thought she hadn't heard the feather light footsteps coming up behind her until a pair of arms invaded her vision by coming tightly around her waist. The skin of his chest pressed against her back as he leaned down to nuzzle her face with his own, but to his distaste, the soothing gesture only seemed to make her tense and uncomfortable.

'_Why must she make this so difficult?'_ he thought in frustration as he looked down over the top of her head, but he would not be deterred.

He was determined to get her to open back up to him and understand that she was not just a bed warmer to him as she had been before, but it seemed the fates were unforgiving no matter what he tried. How had she managed to get under his skin the way she had was beyond him but now that he had her once more, the idea of being without her again was a failure he refused to accept.

Adah jumped when his fingers brushed over each hardened peak then up her shoulders and with one swift motion he pushed her down flat against the mat. Immediately, he began to plant wet kisses over the smooth pliant skin of her lower belly while deeply inhaling the scent of her skin. She was uncomfortable and he knew it, but if she had allowed him to come this far, there was not a doubt in his mind that she wouldn't try to stop him should he continue. Even if she did try he knew well enough that he would be unable to stop himself... She had gotten into his system and he had never been able to shake her since. Time and time again she had been robbed of the life she so deserved and he would be the one to give it back.

Since the Piece of Eden's discovery, there had been hordes of dangerous and vicious men in search of its destructive power. They had successfully thrown the Holy Land into turmoil by blindly trampling through the cities and demanding it be turned over to them.

Once things quieted down, Altaïr kept it hidden safely away and had knowledge of it obliterated until he could figure out what to do with it. They may have given up their relentless pursuit or was just waiting for him to make a mistake. For something no larger than an apple, he knew of the destruction and madness it was capable of when wielded by the traitorous Al Mualim. It was no 'great treasure' or 'precious word from God' as his master had so proudly proclaimed it to be. it was a curse.

A soft voice broke his increasingly darkening thoughts. It called out to him again, but this time with more urgency until he finally looked up.

"Altaïr?" Adah muttered, her expression full of uncertainty. Pulling herself up on her elbows, she looked down at him from between her breasts. He hadn't moved for several minutes and the bothersome throbbing between her legs was steadily getting the better of her but the moment she saw the troubled expression in his eyes, she dared not say a word.

Before returning his gaze to her, he brought a hand over his face as he shook his head slightly to repress the ever haunting memories of killing his Master.

"Its fine." he replied casually. _'The old man will not distract me from my plans tonight.'_

Sitting up, he kissed her lightly then pulled her knees up to either side of her and trailed the pads of his fingers down the silky skin on the inside of her thighs. Teasingly he swirled a pattern that would inch closer to her center and send a ticklish chill up her spine. Squirming, her hips jerked in an attempt to follow the busy fingers that just wouldn't sink into her where she needed them most. He was so close she could almost cry at the injustice as she fisted her hands into the pillows around her. His incessant tormenting was driving her mad!

"Please..." she whimpered, annoyance evident in her voice but he only smiled and ignored her.

Just when she was about to shove him off when she could stand no more, he unexpectedly plunged two of his long slender digits mercifully deep into her hot folds. She yelped at the jarring sensation that left her taut as a bowstring and lost her voice when they withdrew at an unbearably slow pace just to thrust harshly back into her, rubbing deliberately against a sensitive spot. She found herself reddening embarrassingly as he repeated this several times and to hide her shameful willingness, buried her face in a nearby cushion. Pulling the pillow away from her, Altaïr chuckled deep in his throat and waved a reprimanding finger before her eyes. She was trying so strongly to hold onto her defiance but just seeing her wriggle and her small toes beginning to curl, he knew all too well that she would not be denied. He crawled down and flattened his tongue against her folds, his fingers continuing on with their tortuous work.

Adah tensed, unsure if she should pull away from him. She was confused. Half of her wanted it while the other side still remained untrusting and it had every right to be. But God he knew how to make such a disgraceful sin feel so good.

'It is strange...' she thought idly to herself while looking down the scarred and muscled span of his naked backside, 'that this is where we would end up after that fateful day as children so many years ago.'

Her hips jerked forward into his face as a silent plea for him to never stop, but of course with him she never got her way and whimpered disappointedly when his warm coaxing fingers withdrew and were replaced by something cold and blunt. She propped herself up on her elbows and stared in shock to find the smooth hilt of his short blade pressed into her.

"Wha-What are you doing?" she rasped, completely disoriented and flushed but he quickly silenced her by sliding the four remaining fingers of his left hand between her breasts and pushed her back down.

"Do you trust me?" was all he asked as he applied pressure to her sensitive bud with his thumb.

He watched her eyes close and head fall back then reached up to pluck the thin cord of her cross from around her neck. Feeling awkward by it, he slipped it under his nearby pile of robes noting smugly that she hadn't even seemed to notice it was gone. He smirked as her legs threatened to push out from under him each time the smooth rounded hilt of his blade brushed against the spot that drove her wild. He couldn't help but watch enraptured as her hips rode the hilt hard, anticipating the feel of her hugging his hardened flesh just the same. Suddenly her back arched, eyes wild like that of a stray cat when she finally toppled over her peak, releasing a tiny cry and eventually falling flat to the mat. He stared at her with amusement as he gently removed the handle, licking it once then sliding it across the floor to join his other weapons.

Once the blurry edges of her vision cleared, his handsome face became visible once again above her. Adah barely had time to register what was happening when he flipped her over on her belly and flattened himself against her backside. She felt the wet trail of his tongue pass between her shoulder blades while his punishing fingers squeezed her breasts wantonly.

She had to get a hold of herself. It was like he was everywhere at once! Those same fingers slid down her side to pinch the satiny skin of her hips, promising angry bruises tomorrow. One of his hands slid lower to encircle a skillful finger around her bud. When she moaned and closed her eyes, lost in the pleasure, he immediately seized the opportunity to quickly slide himself in to the hilt and groaned low.

Altaïr could barely resist the savory way she was soaking him so sweetly, but he forced himself to be content with just kissing her shoulder when she whimpered at his quick entrance until she had adjusted to him. His other arm came over her shoulder to support his larger frame as he leaned forward to nuzzle her cheek from behind.

"Adah," he chuffed hotly into her ear, his eyes closing as his hips began to rock of their own accord to relieve the ache, the soft sound of her name rolling off of his tongue in a seductive purr. "Let yourself go..."

She moaned softly and pressed back against him, blushing after she realized her mistake in giving in as she was too proud to relinquish her defiance so easily. Not when she couldn't even bring herself to look into those eyes of his knew whenever she was holding back.

"I want you to be honest with me and tell me, do you still love me?" he whispered.

She hesitated by lowering her eyes and chewed on her lower lip, the subject becoming too uncomfortable for her. Plus, her mind was still too foggy from her earlier release to fully yield a response.

"Do you?" he pressed and kissed her shoulder blade. "Because you see... I am incapable of letting you go. Not this time. So you can continue to deny yourself further, but I am no fool and you cannot deceive me as easily as the people you walk amongst in the streets as you steal them blind. Especially since I can see how much you enjoy the way I make you feel."

Clenching her jaw, Adah fought to keep the words from spilling out of her mouth. Of course she loved him... once a long time ago. But even now he had not earned the right to hear them. Altaïr had long ago driven the trust of her heart into the dirt under his feet by letting her slip through his murderous fingers when he made the choice to continue to ignore her and follow the Brotherhood instead. And when the painful memories of his constant rejection resurfaced, she quickly began to realize that she had allowed this to go much too far...

Altaïr sighed, the tingle of rejection hitting its mark inside his chest by her silence. He didn't deserve her love and he knew it, but his addiction for her had unwittingly turned his heart against him by wrapping its cold and malicious fingers around her own. He wasn't supposed to get attached, but she was the only one outside of the Brotherhood who truly understood and accepted him for what he was. Unfortunately for her, it wasn't until just before she vanished that he discovered he could not live without her by his side.

She drove him wild...

Her innocent smile and genuine laughter from their younger days being the only light to pierce the dreary blackness that grew thicker around his heart with each life he took.

But he practically snuffed it out due to his arrogance. He would never wish to destroy her spirit as he had done to his own but he knew that even after they died and their bodies returned to the earth, he would be sure to escape from whatever hell laid waiting for him just so he could find and keep her soul.

He frowned down at her as she lay below him, his eyes scanning up the dark narrow expanse of her back. Even now she wouldn't even look at him...

Balancing himself on one palm by the side of her head, he reached down and turned her jaw back up towards him and covered her lips with his own to suckle the slick muscle behind her teeth. Instead of warming to him, she shied away from his hand and lowered her head, hiding behind the dark, thick curls falling around her face.

Deep down she knew he would remain true to his word of never letting her go and knew it would be wise to heed his warning because even if she did manage to leave, he would only find her again. It's what he does... And if she stayed, he would keep her wrapped securely around his finger, under a constant watch. So she knew either way, he would always be there as another painful reminder from her past.

He was the darkness that would consume her until there was nothing left.

Defeated, she lowered her forehead to the rug and closed her eyes, her small quiet tears leaking freely into the mat.

'_She is resigned to her fate.'_ Altaïr reasoned with himself while thumbing the small ridges of her spine.

He knew a broken heart could not be mended so easily but eventually, she would come to accept him again and until then he would not rest.

Brushing away the loose locks down her back, he leaned down and kissed the back of her head and proceeded to place them across her shoulders. His forearm slid itself underneath her belly, brushing through the soft ebony curls of her nether region to bring her back from her anguished thoughts. Adah jumped when that same strong arm then tightened around her and pulled them both upright, forcing her to straddle his muscled thighs. His arms felt confining as he pressed her against him yet instead of releasing her when she resisted, Altaïr rolled his hips, effectively ceasing any defiance she had left by drawing a small pleasing sound from deep in her throat.

Several years have passed since he last felt the warmth of a woman and he couldn't help but savor the way her bottom molded against his hips in the most sinful of ways. He had found paradise and it was where he was buried right between her thighs. Altaïr buried his nose into her hair and smiled when Adah began to mewl and writhe against him.

Only when her nails began to rake up his hips did he notice he was taking her a little harder than he had to. Maybe it was because part of him was still angry that she had run away or maybe it was just the way she was behaving towards him now. He couldn't be sure. The earthen scent of her skin enveloped his senses as he smeared her shoulders with soft bites, wanting everything she had to offer and giving everything back in return.

She moaned his name loudly when his forceful thrusts angled to bump against the sensitive spot within her that he still knew so well. His free hand pressed its thumb into the small of her back, pushing her back into an almost painful arc as he crushed his mouth over her own in a deep fulfilling kiss. The tip of his index finger slid lower down her back and with precise timing, he wound it into the delicate nerves of her tailbone causing Adah to go rigid and shudder on cue as her second release exploded behind her eyes. She heard an embarrassing whine emit in his throat. His spine tingled with the pleasure coursing through his veins as he blissfully followed her ascent over the edge.

Finally, she slumped forward into the pillows and exhaled contentedly to savor the welcoming after effects of their coupling. She had been so caught up in the moment that she barely noticed the ticklish tips of fingers sliding along her skin. The sound of his voice unexpectedly flitted across the front of her mind and her thoughts immediately saddened at his words.

'_Because you see… I am incapable of letting you go.' _

She sighed. She had lost everyone against her will during her young life. Both of her parents went first even though she cared not for her useless father. Then to make matters worse, Bushra, the old woman who took her in followed shortly thereafter... As her name implied, Bushra really was a good omen because if it weren't for her she probably would have been dead a long time ago. But that wonderful life was gone now and the one person she was actually trying to let go of was still here with her and refusing to do as such. She had been happy being 'independent', that's assuming you defined it as stealing everything you wanted out of life, but it was her life and she didn't want Altaïr to take the last remaining shred she had left.

Sensing her unease, said Assassin rolled her to her back and nuzzled her face with his own in an effort to comfort her. She did not welcome him though and emphasized her point by rolling on her side to stare at the glimmering flecks of candlelight reflecting in the pouring water fountain below the entrance to the Bureau.

"As you wish..." She heard him whisper dejectedly into her ear, the course stubble of his chin brushing against her cheek.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, he decided to remove himself from her presence. He needed to gather his thoughts plus the cool air would feel good against his heated skin. He watched her watching him out of the corner of her eye as he blew out the candle and pulled on his shalwars to wearily climb up the wall of the Bureau entrance. Stopping at the edge of the gate for a moment, he looked back at her and the way the faint glow of the moon was illuminating her naked flesh. He wanted her to say something to him, anything, he didn't care. But as expected, those words never came. So instead he just pulled himself out of the gate when she chose to pull her knees up to her chest and avert her half-lidded eyes away from the only man seeking so passionately to salvage her already shattered soul.

...

Wow, what a crazy hand a cards Adah has been dealt, huh? I know sometimes I fight with grammar a little bit, but I'm working hard to keep it in check, although I wouldn't mind a bit of criticism to show me what needs work. Well, hope you all enjoyed and there are lots of goodies coming up. I've pretty much planned the remainder of this out already so please stay tuned!

The Rusty Peach


	3. Shame

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Assassin's Creed.

At times, Adah contemplated leaping from his tall white horse. Just falling to the ground below and speeding back towards Jerusalem and its gates of freedom, but she knew she would not make it that far alone and so did Altaïr which is why he choose to share the same mount and travel while the hours of darkness still lay over the land.

The air was cold and the trail of which they traveled appeared oddly peaceful, but one would have to be blind not to see the tension building between them was heavier than the surrounding morning mist. She had not spoken but a few words to Altaïr since the trip began and that was only when it was absolutely necessary. For some reason sparking conversation with the man trying to steal what's left of the life she so narrowly managed to hold together all this time was not quite something she had in mind.

But it _was_ too quiet and the soft droning sound of the steed's footsteps as he hauled them to the destination that marked the end of her freedom was not comforting in the slightest. She hadn't planned on setting foot into Masyaf again for quite some time, but fate was an infuriating thing. Just when you think you have your path completely mapped out before you, it comes bouncing back to mock you by clumsily splashing your plans with a vat of thick black ink.

A small smile crept its way over her lips when the sound of his loud gaping yawn behind her ear broke her train of thought. She knew Altaïr had not slept at all tonight and doubted he would until much later. Now that Al Mualim's soul was at rest, Altaïr became obligated to assume the role as a successor in his stead since no other was confident enough to stake its claim. So unfortunately, there would be several tasks awaiting his attention once they returned to the fortress and resting would not be one of them.

'_Ever the dutiful Assassin.'_ she glowered to herself as she continued to brood.

But she knew the desire for him to sleep would continue to creep closer as the trip progressed and judging by their currently sluggish pace, his fatigue must finally be settling in. So for now, she would bide her time and force herself to be content with simply dozing off and on against his surprisingly warm chest while waiting for that fateful moment at the fortress to forge her escape.

Adah closed her eyes and burrowed herself under the hood of his oversized white robe in an attempt to shut out the light of dawn peeking over the Kingdom skies. In actuality, she wanted nothing more than to tear his robe off and throw it at him, but she had no wish to parade naked into town atop his horse since he had decided to take the liberty of destroying her clothing last night.

Altaïr lowered his heavy golden brown gaze to the top of her cloth covered head when she shifted against his chest. The majority of the journey he had been unable to see her face… but he didn't need to, seeing as he was convinced she was everything but joyful underneath that hood. He had already expressed his intentions to her and knew there would be some resistance; no great change came without it. Thus he remained confident that she would come around. As they passed through the Saracen army's territory, he had promptly instructed her to continue to still her tongue until they were clear and was ever grateful when she obliged. He was exhausted and in no mood to deal with Salah al-Din's soldiers and their brazen attitudes. But now that they were elsewhere, she had once again reverted back to not speaking to him at all…

Heaving a sigh, he tightened his arm around her waist and wearily propped himself up against her back. Perhaps it was for the best that no words passed between them and to grudgingly welcome her decision to become mute for the time being.

At least this way it made it harder for them to continue to rub one another the wrong way.

...

It wasn't long before they arrived in the busy city. _'I swear my clumsiness will be the death of me!'_ she fumed, still dusting the loose dirt from her stiff, disobedient legs that failed to assist her climb down from Altaïr's horse. When he offered a hand to help her up, she didn't fail to notice the crooked grin plastered to his face which disappeared when she frowned annoyed at him.

As an alternative to staring daggers at his back while she trotted quietly behind his feet inside the city, he decided to make it up to her by stopping in front of a merchant stand and letting her pick out several new items of clothing. At first she tried to protest until she was blue in the face, the elderly merchant's wrinkly eyes passing back and forth between the bickering couple.

"I WILL have need of my robe at some point or another." Altaïr argued, still clad in only his grey shalwar and kameez, his eyes trailing lazily over her partially exposed legs.

Crossing her arms, she turned her back to him. "I would not be wearing it had you not _sliced_ up my clothing!"

A light chuckle turned their attention back to the merchant.

"You've a fiery one on your hands there, my friend." the old man commented to the Assassin, his arm motioning towards Adah who was stubbornly refusing to look at them. "Come now, surely your husband is not as bad as you make him out to be-"

"He is NOT my husband!" she deadpanned, almost losing balance as she spun around on the old man, a few passerbies' stopping to stare at her outburst. A strong hand in the small of her back abruptly pushed her up to the clothing laid out before her on the stand, Altaïr's chide command booming over her head, "Choose."

One more battle lost before it actually began. Later, he'd told her that destroying her dress was necessary, claiming it to be tainted with stolen money and that he would give her funds if she needed. Well, the _last_ thing she wanted was for him to think she needed his assistance. And as if that weren't bad enough, she almost died when he also confessed to taking her coin pouch and emptying it over the balcony of the hospital back in Jerusalem while she slept!

And that had been the end of that...

She pouted and glanced down at the new jade knee length dress she wore then focused her attention back on the ceremony at hand. Through the library window, she stared at the gathering of Assassin's in the garden behind the fortress library. A new soul was being initiated into the Order of the Hashshashin. This one went by the name of Jalil…

He was strange, albeit rather snobbish, and unbelievably bad-mannered! Upon meeting him early this morning as she followed behind Altaïr into the library, Jalil had the gall to demand why a woman was degrading their presence. Initially she could have railed him about his rudeness, but she had to agree with him. She _would_ prefer to be anywhere else except inside this dusty library filled with musty old books. Altaïr had stepped in to reprimand him, but she waved him off. It really didn't matter because Jalil would get his soon enough. He didn't know it but during the ceremony, he would be passed a goblet and be drugged to imitate the feeling that death was at hand and his ability would then be tested in the face of his own demise. She used to hate watching it as a girl. The tests always looked so tortuous and cruel… Should he pass he would later be awakened, convinced he has entered the gates of heaven and be praised and welcomed by his new Master with a banquet surrounded by the many virgin women inhabiting the garden.

Adah folded her arms and sighed, watching the many tiny seeds prancing in the garden's gusty air, envious of their never-ending freedom. To her surprise she had ran into her old friend Kadar, now a fortress guard, who was happy to keep her company. He was in a bit of a shock when she strolled in behind Altaïr after almost five years, but pleased all the same.

She sighed. It would be quite a while now before the ceremony came to a close. Nevertheless, the time to make her retreat was growing near. Holding the ceremony was the last task at hand for Altaïr which meant sleep would finally follow shortly after and the sooner he was asleep, the closer she would get to reclaim the freedom that she knew was rightfully hers.

...

'_Apparently becoming the Master of their Order has its benefits...' _Adah thought as her drowsy eyes looked out the window of the small mosque that stood behind the spacious garden behind the fortress. She couldn't remember how much a long bath and sleep in an actual bed could feel so good. After grabbing her black scarf quietly from the chest at the foot of the bed, she looked back to Altaïr. He looked so peaceful, unlike the times during his wakeful hours when his eyes told a different tale. She padded over and crouched down in front of his slumbering form.

'_Still sleeping heavily as though it is your last night, I see.'_ She thought with an air of indignation as her eyes scanned over him for the last time. His face and bare, lengthy torso imprinted to her memory for the last time as he slept on his side under the glow of the moonlight.

She was well aware that Altaïr only wanted to offer her a better life, but the one he was replacing it with was not that of which she truly wanted and was more the life he saw fit for her. Unlike most women her age, she didn't want the typical life with a home and family. Not when there was still so much in the world yet to be seen. Her mother already tried to determine her fate by attempting to arrange a marriage for her before she died, saying she needed the right kind of stability in her life. At first Adah didn't really mind and it seemed all her mother really cared about was that she was marrying into wealth. But later she discovered, to her disappointment, the young man she was to wed was destined to become a shopkeeper, meaning she would never get to experience the wide open world around her by living a miserable and sheltered life.

Thankfully the arrangement was never completed due to her mother's passing. However, the events in her life seemed to only spiral downhill from there until the day Altaïr came into her world. He was what made her broken life bearable and gave her heart hope until he crushed those pieces too. Well their actions in Jerusalem last night had been a mistake and Altaïr wasn't going to get a second chance… She had allowed the cold and indifferent murderer in him to manipulate her heart for the final time.

Her fingers absentmindedly rose to smooth along his stubbly jaw line that she used to adore so much, but withdrew her fingers once she realized what she was doing. Instead she stood and secured the black scarf tightly around her shoulders then progressed quietly through the door to hopefully leave behind the man who will probably continue to seek her out for the rest of her days…

'_Why must she insist on a life that is not suited for her?' _Altaïr thought tiredly as his eyes opened in time to watch her back disappear through his door.

Being a heavy sleeper had become something of the past for him after adapting to the increasingly hazardous life as a hashshashin. It can be difficult to sleep when the continuous threat of becoming the hunted was rapidly breathing down one's neck. With an annoyed groan he rose from the bed to dress. He needed to find her before she reached the Kingdom and discover for herself what it meant to play in enemy lands.

...

Hiding behind a guard post that overlooked the trail into the Kingdom, Adah looked up at the moon trying to discern the time and determine how long she had before sunrise and most importantly, how she was going to slip through this camp of Saracen soldiers marching around the corner. If she thought sneaking passed the Assassin's of Masyaf was difficult, she wasn't prepared for this rude awakening. During the day they would care less, but by her traveling at night alone and from the direction of Assassin territory, they would have all the more reason to be suspicious. She slunk back into the shadows when a handful of them swaggered past.

Refusing to be deterred she jumped up when the trail straight ahead cleared and with a renewed hopefulness she crept her way silently through their camp. Most of the soldiers appeared to be settled around a fire in the middle, their consistent chattering drowning out her tiny footsteps in the background as she dipped and dodged through their makeshift tents.

'_Almost there…'_ she chimed as the clearing behind a strangely large green tent gradually came into view. She suddenly dipped out of the way when a soldier emerged from one of the tents. Watching his retreating back to make sure she went unseen, she then shot around the corner and to her surprise, slammed directly into a wall-like chest, tumbling to the ground.

"Hm? Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Wincing Adah shook her head and looked up at a tall heavily armored man garbed in a faded green and gold, his pointed helmet topped with the crested icon of the Saracen.

'_Of all those to run into out here, Adah… you run into a_ _Lieutenant!'_ she raged in her mind.

Her instincts urged her to get up and crawl, run, _anything_ except sit there and watch his hand grabbing at her ankle.

"And where do you think you're going?" his Arabic accent thick and scathing, dragging her through the dirt towards the fire in the middle of their camp. The other soldiers jumped up from their logged seats, the sound of a protesting feminine voice grabbing their attention as she was dragged to the belly of the camp.

"Men! Look what I have found sneaking around my tent! Tell me what you think I should do with this one?" he laughed heartily, the soldiers swarming up to her. Adah panicked.

"Wait! I am just a traveler!"

"Awfully late to travel at night and alone, yes? Who are you running from? A husband, perchance?" he responded, slipping the scarf off her head, his fingers trailing through her hair then tightening at the root. She cringed.

"I say a good punishment may be in order. Maybe I should drag you into my tent and see just how much you are willing to give for your freedom."

"No, no... Please!" Adah cried and tugged against his grip.

The lieutenant grinned at her and worked to undo the belt at his waist. "And afterwards I may deliver you back to your pathetic husband that cannot keep a simple woman under control!"

A hard thump sounded behind the group of lecherous men. The group looked on as a soldier fell forward to the ground, his eyes staring blankly ahead with the hilt of a silver dagger jutting from the back of his neck.

"ASSASSIN!" one of them rang out and never had Adah thought that one word ever meant so much as Altaïr strode into their camp. Once the hand in her hair released its hold, she crawled through the scrambling soldiers searching futilely for their weapons.

"So… this one was cowardly enough to use one of their harlot's as a diversion to ambush us!" shouted the Lieutenant. "Men! Before you take his head bring him to me, for he shall watch as she is violated by each and every one of you before his very eyes!"

"NO! I have done no wrong! Have mercy on me, PLEASE!" Adah screamed, inching backwards on her hands and away from a soldier hurriedly shrinking the distance towards her.

The man leered at her through his thick dark beard as he approached, his hand rearing back to deliver a hard agonizing blow. She cowered and waited for the inevitable wallop of his heavy hand, but to her surprise it never came. Her hands fell in her lap when she looked up to find herself staring at the pointed tip of a sword piercing the soldier's torso. It jerked forward, stopping just inches from her nose and sprinkling her face with tiny droplets of blood. The soldiers pained grunt pierced the air as he looked down at the long dripping blade threatening to split his torso in two. To shut out the haunting sight, Adah turned away when the soldier let out a strangled groan, the sword twisting slowly before being swiftly wrenched from whence it came.

"Oh my GOD!" she exclaimed, her eyes following the man's descent as he was thrown to the ground in a heap of blood and grief to take his last breaths.

She saw Altaïr step to her casually, wearing a malicious smirk across his face from the excitement of adding another notch to his already crowded belt. Adah fearfully peered up at him as if in a daze as though she were meeting him for the first time, fresh tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. The soldier on the ground coughed up a dark puddle of crimson just as his eyes rolled behind his eyelids to welcome deaths embrace.

The wicked smirk didn't fade from Altaïr's face until she shrank away from him when he quickly extended a hand to her. She had never witnessed him take a life and he wished she would never have to, but he wouldn't stand by and watch as another dared placing his hands on her. Even on his last breath, he would use that ounce of life protecting her than wasting it with a failed attempt to save his own life.

His mouth opened to urge her to go into hiding, but the sound was broken as a thick wooden arrow tore into his left shoulder, causing him to almost stumble over her. He grunted as the pain tore up his back. The tug of her small hands at the tail of his white robe went unnoticed when Altaïr reached for a dagger at his back and hurled it in the direction the arrow has just come. It landed successfully into the archer's thigh across the clearing, the soldier toppling over the boulder that was formerly his perch. Pulling his short blade from his back with his good arm, he quickly proceeded back towards the Lieutenant and his remaining men closing in.

Adah could hardly believe the horrific scene unfolding before her eyes as her hands were ripped free of Altaïr's robe. Even with an arrow buried into his shoulder, he was still one step ahead of them all. He was tearing through the handful of soldiers with ease and held no remorse. She watched helplessly as Altaïr murdered the soldiers one by one, he and the Lieutenant now dancing the dance of death while blood seeped through Altaïr's robes as he twisted about to try and catch the man's throat.

To Altaïr's surprise the Lieutenant was side stepping his strikes easily. He didn't get the chance to regain his footing and an agonizing groan tore from his throat when the Lieutenant grabbed the feathered end of the arrow protruding from his shoulder and painfully pushed him to his knees. He felt his hood pulled down and the Lieutenant's hand fisting into his hair to force his eyes to lock with Adah's hysterical pair of hazel one opposite the camp.

"Look at her, damn you! Surely, you do not think this whore is worth losing your life over?" the officer exclaimed over Altaïr's head and twisted the arrow more to enjoy the snarling pain emanating from the Assassin's throat. "Heh, you Assassin's are such cowards. I bet I could put her to far better use in the barracks for my men. You know, if you hand her over to me you just may live to see the light of another day."

Altaïr growled out, "I do not fear death, nor do I hide disgracefully behind a woman to save my own soul. We will see who the coward truly is when death is staring you in the face."

Ignoring the sheering pain, Altaïr reached up, broke off the arrowhead extending from the front of his shoulder and jammed it into the Lieutenant's hip to his right. The arrow shaft slid from his back when the officer cried out and jumped back at the unexpected pain. Turning to take advantage of the opening, Altaïr grabbed the chest plate of the Lieutenant's armor and stabbed his short blade several times into the officer's chest. He didn't wait for the sound of the body hitting the ground before speeding towards the wounded archer attempting to crawl to safety and with a fluid leap, thrust his hidden blade into the soldier's throat.

Unable to even bring her legs to work nonetheless comprehend the insanity of these dark events, Adah could only gape in disbelief at the camp littered with mutilated bodies. Without the slightest glance in her direction, Altaïr retrieved his short blade from the Lieutenant's chest and giving it one good swing to remove the excess blood, slid it back into place at his back. His eyes surveyed the area for any stragglers, his hands tightening at his sides.

At this point he couldn't decide whether to let her find her own way back or just leave her here to wallow in the mess she created for herself. Neither of the options was favorable, but they were better than what the hole in his shoulder and the thin river of red oozing down his lip were demanding.

'_And she swears she can survive on her own…'_ he thought bitterly as he collected his remaining daggers and weapons.

She hadn't even moved since this madness began and based on her panic-stricken expression, probably wouldn't for quite some time. Another disaster waiting to happen... Exhaling heavily, Altaïr strode in her direction to gather what's left of the woman who would probably mean his death one day.

...

As though trying to dress his shoulder wasn't enough of a struggle on its own every time it needed changing, applying the stinging salve was the worst. The night they returned, he was rather cross with her and it took at least an hour to make him relax and get an adequate amount of balm in the wound. But now his clammy skin burned with fever from the infected injury and she couldn't help feeling all the more contrite about the entire incident and the long hours of the past three days were not merciful in any way. The events of her escape into the kingdom were not lost on her. They were like a wakeful nightmare. So many of the soldiers horrific deaths flashed behind her eyes each time she closed them and Altaïr just lay there, unfazed and unchanged. But in a way it looked like he was fighting his own demons as he battled the fever raging with a fury. The other Assassin's suggested bringing in a healer, but at long last the fever finally broke, permitting him to sleep as though he hadn't slept in years and Adah had been more than happy to follow his lead after staying by his side for so long.

The sun had set when Adah's head perked up, a narrowed gaze observing her surroundings and almost falling out of bed the moment she realized she was lounging on top of her patient. With a long leg hanging over the side, Altaïr slumbered deeply on his back. He lay unclothed from head to toe covered only by his red afghan below his waist as his clothes were the first to go while he succumbed to the fever. From the looks of his exhaustion, the floor underneath the bed could cave in right now and he wouldn't even notice.

'_Why weren't the lamps of the grounds outside lit?'_ she thought hazily, the only light shining in being that of the moon dipping in and out of the clouds covering the night sky.

Perhaps Altaïr was right and that things here have settled down seeing as the fortresses guard was now at its minimal with Al Mualim gone. Feeling around in the dark, Adah found and lit a tall white candle next to the bed, investigating Altaïr's bandages in desperate need of her attention. Her eyes studied the well-built plane of his chest and shoulders, stopping only to gaze at some of the newer scars that were just beginning to die away. When he was ill she had thought of her plan to run away from him and this town that seemed to follow her no matter where she went, but looking at him now, she couldn't imagine herself walking away, not when he was like this…

Slipping on her sandals and scarf, she set out to replenish her medical supplies or try to in the thick murkiness of the fortress corridors where one could easily get lost.

And that's exactly what happened.

After a while she found herself at a dead end, staring at an iron gate, hoping it would guide her back to the garden and the main fortress. Stealing a quick look through the closely welded bars, Adah pulled open the heavy gate and stood in its entrance. She frowned. It was just a room, but was strangely giving off the impression that she should not be there.

The room looked abandoned with a dozen wooden chests and crates along the floor, stacked one on top of the other. They all appeared old tattered and covered in the thickest layer of dust she had ever seen. She couldn't resist opening them one by one, awed to discover most were filled with more heavy pieces of gold and silver coin than she had seen in her life.

Except for one with its intricate design and edges trimmed in the finest gold as it rested in the far corner. Its lid was topped with a small golden pair of the most magnificent eagle's wings, their tips extended upwards as if they were reaching for heaven themselves. Curiously she bent down in front of it.

When she reached down to pop the lock, the lid creaked open all its own to reveal a small orb about the size of an apple with an oddly woven pattern contoured into every curve, the same design as the chest that made for its home. Reaching to touch it, Adah couldn't resist marveling at the orbs beauty, but snapped her hand back when a dim yellow light poured out of its crevices and a translucent globe sprang forth.

Too caught up in what was going in front of her, she couldn't have noticed the large gauntleted hands emerging from the darkness behind her to wrap around her mouth and waist. She squeaked as she was pulled back tightly against a solid chest, her heart leaping into her throat.

"You have less than a few seconds to state who you are and what business you have in here?" whispered a rough voice laced with impatience.

A muffled version of what sounded like his name called out underneath his hand and ever so slowly, Altaïr loosened his grip. When he'd come to, she was nowhere to be found in the room, but she was the last he expected to find in here.

"Y-you're awake! am not used to this part of the fortress." she responded turning to him and reaching up to trace her fingers over his long nose and bow shaped lips in the dark. Would she ever get used to him sneaking up on her? He released her and walked past the moment his eyes locked with the glowing chest in the corner.

"What is it?" she questioned, following him to the orb.

He didn't say anything as he looked down at its glow. His hand rose and his long fingers passed several times through the light that emanated up towards the ceiling, their shadows flickering on the stone wall until they finally formed a fist and withdrew.

"This is the Piece of Eden." was his response. "I would prefer not to touch it and would be best if you followed suit."

When she crept closer, his hand shot out and brushed her to the rear, mindful of her close proximity with the orb.

"Of all the human reactions we could possibly wield, do not allow your own to be a foolish one. It looks as insignificant as any other trinket… but it is far from it. It's a shame really that this,"he gestured, "an earthly possession, is what brought forth my Master's death."

She turned to look at the Assassin beside her who refused to look at her eyes, his reflective expression glued to the sphere below.

"Al Mualim," he continued, "had become obsessed with it and its power to control one's mind. Following his orders, I was sent to collect nine lives under his jurisdiction, declaring he was securing the peace of the Holy Land. Although his actions were in earnest, they were also misguided and in turn led to his downfall. No one must ever know of its existence..."

He turned to her with a raised eyebrow in speculation, noticing her dressed attire, too dressed to just be wandering the grounds. Even he remained bare, clad in only a pair of loose white leggings. He then pinched the bridge of his nose as if to fight an oncoming headache and sighed. "Why exactly did you find yourself here and what are you doing wandering the halls at this hour in the first place?"

"What? I-I was in need of more bandages to redress your wound, but I found myself here. I swear it."

He glared at her. She had always been a horrible liar and to think she would look him in the eye and do it. He could think of no other reason for her to be fully clothed except going beyond the gates.

"Why are you so insistent upon running to join a life that would no sooner see you dead, a life that is dishonored by being a _thief_?"

She averted her eyes. He was wrong, but she was unable to fight the truth of his bombarding questions because she still did plan on leaving… eventually.

"…."

"Well? Did those Saracen soldiers not teach you anything? Because my shoulder is claiming is otherwise!"

"But you do not understand!" Adah blurted in defense.

"No, it is _you_ who does not understand." His patience was growing thin. "Do you not see that I am unwilling to allow you return to such a life?"

He yanked her back to him by her upper arms when Adah tried to walk away from the conversation, away from him. But not this time. He wasn't going to let her keep ignoring him, keep trying to block him out every time she couldn't get what she wanted. Adah exploded.

"NO, Altaïr! It does not matter whether or not I belong out there! All that concerns me is that I do not belong here and I do not belong to YOU!" she cried out as she thrashed against the grip on her arms, her scarf falling behind her head to gather round her shoulders.

Altaïr flinched at her outburst and forced her up against the brick wall behind her. He knew she was beyond frustrated and was only making it worse in forcing her to come to terms with her fate, but he had to make her see. No more illusions because he knew what the outside world was like and that it is not as trustworthy and forgiving as she may think. The war between King Richard and Salah al-Din was crawling right outside the fortress's doorstep where manipulation and exploitation rule with an iron fist.

Struggling, Adah shoved forward and tripped over Altaïr's boots, pulling him down with her to the cold dirty floor. Tossing her long hair behind her, she growled and lurched on top of him, her small fists pummeling his chest. She was tired of having everyone she came in contact with try and control her life. He squeezed her against him with one arm while the other attempted to capture her flailing wrists as they tussled across the floor.

What was it about her that made everyone think she needed their assistance? If he truly cared for her all those years ago, then why did he never voice it to her until now? Why bother dragging her through the pits of hell with him by coating her heart in the same crude blackness that covered his own?

Why?

Because he is who is and actions would always speak louder than any words that could ever slip passed his lips. It was the reason why he sought her out at every chance he could get when they were younger. All because both of them knew their urge to be together was undeniable… He was complex and as dangerous as he was deadly. It's one of many things that drew her to him because he was the type of forbidden fruit that her patronizing mother would have never approved of.

And that's what drove her crazy.

Before Adah realized her body had taken over, she was straddling his hips as she seductively sealed her mouth to his soft, rounded lips. Altaïr's eyes widened as her nails dragged through his short unruly hair. When the roughened top of her tongue curled against the roof of his mouth, he immediately sat up and began to devour her lips and grope every available female curve while he still had the chance. Adah wasted no time in pushing him flat to the floor again and sliding down his legs. Thankful that he chose to leave his robes behind, she shrugged the hem of his shalwars down his hips, exposing him to her eyes.

Altaïr blinked, swearing he was looking down at a different woman covering the muscled ridges of his stomach with her lips as her soft palms and fingers went to work. Where was the young woman who was just threatening to rip his very heart from his chest? She had never shown any desire in past to be in control and that alone made him dreadfully aroused. His eyes rolled behind his eyelids for a moment and he moaned.

Adah was stunned as she watched the man beneath her audibly gasp from the friction of her hands alone. He was so much stronger and larger than she, but he was virtually drowning under her whim.

He couldn't resist any further. Altaïr flung her back over him by her wrist, the pain in his shoulder now only that of a memory. No sooner was he able to bunch the knee length dress up her waist did Adah rise and quickly sink far within her dripping folds. Her mouth fell open in a silent gasp and she heard him hiss and it wasn't until that very moment that she couldn't imagine herself being anywhere else right now except curled inside this Assassin's arms. They made for the warmest delusion that all was right with the world by allowing her to put behind all the infuriating things in her life that led to where she is now. They made her forget.

And that bittersweet feeling was what made all the difference.

Large impatient hands urged her hips to rock against his as she scratched and fought him stroke for stroke like the cruelest adversary he'd ever faced. The cold earth underneath them pressed into Altaïr's back and buttocks as his hips rolled to set the feverish pace for her. His warm fingers dug into the flesh at her hips to also guide her rise and descent, hopelessly praying that this would be what dying felt like.

"Shhh…" she then heard him whisper and felt the press of his mouth and delving tongue into her own to swallow her sounds when a loud whimper escaped her throat. He groaned low and whispered for her not to stop when he felt her fingers run circles over his chest, bandages and all. His own hands snaked their way under the velvety fabric of her dress, tickling down her back and gripping her bottom to make her accept of him as he could fit.

Her thighs spread further all their own when his thumb began to massage the wet neglected kernel budding from the apex of her folds. Trying desperately not to lose control of her body when his thumb massaged the neglected kernel at the apex of her folds, Adah bit her lip and tried to shoo away his hand but he just smirked, continuing to pluck it gently with his fingers. As much as she tried to resist, he could feel her climbing with him and was going to enjoy seeing her scatter to pieces all over his lap like the petals of a freshly crushed flower blowing in the gentlest breeze. Sitting up he buried a hand in her long ebony hair and pulled her head back, nuzzling his face in her throat as his other hand worked diligently. Cheeks red from exertion, her closed eyes suddenly tightened as the warmth in her belly finally exploded and she clamped down on him, her arms tightening about his naked shoulders as she cried his name.

All form of thought escaped Altaïr, snagging his breath in his throat as he blissfully followed her glorious ascent with his own. After a moment, Adah slouched against his chest, his arms around her barely holding her up while he proceeded to apply tender bites along her jaw. Releasing her hold of his neck and shoulders, she allowed the pads of his fingers to rub circles over the two little dimples in the small of her back.

Lightheaded and dizzy, Altaïr was so engrossed in her and his still waning climax that he barely noticed when she began pushing against his shoulders and out of his lap until he felt himself slip from inside her. On wobbly legs she stood to try and right her wrinkled dress, inspecting the whirling room, splotched and doubling in front of her eyes.

She sighed as her emotions took a plummet. It was shame, her ridiculously constant companion. She'd wondered when it was going to show up. Once again she had allowed Altaïr to overcome her with lust. What happened to her self control? Her mother would probably turn over in her grave if she saw her now… knowing her daughter was a thief and sleeping with a murderer.

The room remained silent for a moment, a fresh pattering of rain beginning to bounce off the roof above. Puzzled, Altaïr scanned her silhouette blocking out the soft light from that accursed orb in the corner then reached to readjust his shalwars back up his waist. She was just standing there looking down at its hypnotic glow, tempting all those who looked upon it.

She turned away from it when he called to her and slowly leaned down to run her fingers along his jaw, her eyes gazing down into the darkest pools of golden brown. He found himself unable to resist leaning into those fingers but like everything else with her, the feeling was all too brief and those fingers began to extract and follow their owner when she moved towards the door. He couldn't stop himself from reaching out and grabbing her wrist yet she pulled it from him before he could manage a firm hold, causing her to stagger clumsily and cling to the gated entrance to keep her balance.

"Adah…" he called out to her again, his voice shuddering from the night air that had turned slightly colder since their tryst began. However it was a change he barely noticed because the way she lowered her head as though she were ashamed, felt icier than the any of the coldest winters. "I am truly at a loss as to what to do," he sighed while running his slender fingers through his short dark hair. "What shall it take before you see-"

"Do not say it…" she whispered, her breath forming a cold mist as she closed her eyes and began to weep, her forehead resting against the iron gate.

"-That I do still love you. I always have..."

The warm stream of tears leaked down her already flushed cheeks as she looked back into his eyes currently filled with a longing she had never seen in him before. He looked ravaged as he sat on the floor with his hair all over his head and that horrible bandage extended around his slim waist…

Her mouth gaped open to say something to him, but after the sound refused to come forth she shook her head and took several steps backwards then darted through the gate, trampling out of the black corridor to the garden below. Once he heard the slam of wooden door at end of the passageway echo down the hall, Altaïr forced his emotionless mask back into place should he cross any of his fellow companions. He stood and sighed inwardly as the addicting endorphins of his release continued to course through his blood. Slowly he walked out of the room and sealed the gate behind him, his trembling hands still grasping the iron bars. He frowned as he stared at the gate she'd just run out of, his hands tightening on the bars for a moment until finally he slammed his fist against the them, rattling them under the force.

He knew where to find her, but for now he would leave well enough alone. In her state she would most likely scamper about in the rain until she wore herself out, not really planning any kind of escape after her experience in the Kingdom. And with the way he was feeling right now, that would suit him just fine….

...

Slinking along the balcony of the corridor now satisfied that his eavesdropping had provided the information he sought on the orb, Jalil's hard black eyes watched through the window as the tall Assassin eventually disappeared out the passageway.

'_So… that foolish Prince had been right. Getting in here was no easy task, but it was worth it. The Assassins do still have the orb. No matter. Taking it from them will be most effortless since that woman is what keeps their Master with a blind eye.' _he grinned thoughtfullybefore skidding down the rounded edge of the mosque and dashing back to the main fortress.

A/N: Well, treachery is afoot and it just keeps getting wilder by the minute between these two sad souls. Stay tuned and as always, R&R!

The Rusty Peach


	4. New Additions

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Assassin's Creed.

'_Thank God, no one is here to see this…'_ Adah thought tiredly as she tried to hold herself up against a jutting rock at the bank of the riverbed until her knees gave way.

This had to have been the longest dry heaved filled morning she'd ever experienced… Even the subtle movements of removing her soiled red dress that reeked with the dripping remains of her breakfast sent a painful wave of queasiness across her belly. It all started about a week ago with a constant headache upon waking, but now it had morphed into something more and the runny evidence of it was slowly being rinsed from the front of her dress with the rivers steadily flowing current.

The morning started as simple as any other would these past three long months. It was a morning filled with a hopelessness that was mostly fueled by the fact that she was still living in Masyaf, surrounded by its murderers lurking around every corner of the city. Their grey and white hoods were very effective at hiding their identities yet it did nothing to alleviate her anxiety of once again being trapped as one of their kind. Yet no matter how much she tried to imagine otherwise, she could not escape the fact that she might not and most likely never would be leaving. Altaïr simply would not allow it.

A surge of cold river water rose around Adah's knees slowly as she sat at its edge, waking her from her sickness induced trance. She watched the water come forth with the tide for a long moment before finally looking away and into the distant trees of the riverbed. She refused to look into the water directly as it pooled gently around her calves to seep below the white pebbles littering the shore. It was too unbearable looking into her miserable reflection gracing the water's surface, almost serving only to make her disheartening situation ever the more apparent...

+++Flashback+++

The heavy downpour of the winter storm still had not slackened up as she stood in the cold rain, gazing uselessly at the dark pathway leading beyond Masyaf's protective gates. Altaïr hadn't even bothered following her after she fled from their lustful encounter in the cargo room. There was no point to it. He knew there was nowhere else for her to go and his decision to bring her here only reinforced that fact. The war against the Crusader's was plaguing the land outside the Assassin's territory and her incident in the Saracen's camp only helped to ensure there would be no means of escape.

As she stumbled along the deserted streets in search of shelter from the freezing rain, she really didn't have much choice than to consider the circumstances of her plight. It was cold and the water was like ice, chilled with the fast approaching winter. She could either freeze to death by morning or return to the man that seemed to be draining the life from her since the day they'd met. No matter where she went, the odds appeared to be against her. Even nature was trying to force her stubborn mind to seeing that perhaps this little fantasy she had of gaining independence was just exactly.

A _fantasy_.

And the final piece to help her much needed decision along was when her tired feet found themselves planted before the old but never forgotten wooden door of Bushra's home at the bottom of the hill. She would never stop missing the old woman and her wise words that always seemed to guide her in the right direction. Right now she would give anything for her advice even if deep down she was already aware that it was time to stop running from the only person she had left in her life...

Not too long after slumping loudly against the rickety old door of the home, it suddenly lurched opened to reveal a rather ill-tempered young woman staring at her with a look of revulsion as if she were the lowliest vagabond from the streets. Her wet tangled hair and unkempt appearance undoubtedly the cause... The new inhabitant of Bushra's home regarded her for a long moment, her expression sour as if she was staring at the most pathetic looking creature she had ever seen. Adah lowered her eyes as she leaned against the doorway. Her arms tightened around her waist as the degradation commence to roll off her own body in waves. To add even more salt to the wound, the woman quickly ushered her to shoo and said that she had no money to support a common whore! Adah made a start as the wooden door was slammed in her face. Taken aback, Adah gathered her bearings and darted away, ashamed.

_That_ had been the final crude reminder to bolster the fact that her wonderfully comfortable life with Bushra was no more...

Soaked to the bone and shivering from the cold, she reluctantly looked back towards the hilltop and the towering stronghold that called to her with a voice loud enough to be heard over the pounding rain. She didn't want to go back to it or the painful memories of so much heartbreak from her past. This wasn't how her life was supposed to be! But It seemed Mother Nature's merciless ways had helped bring forth her dreaded decision whether she wanted to accept it or not. So with a heavy sigh she regretfully trudged back to the castle and inwardly surrendered herself to Altaïr by choosing to remain exactly where he wanted her to be.

In the middle of this lethal playground that he called home…

She found him sitting against the windowsill of his quarters, staring down at the garden that was quickly turning into a very large mud puddle right before his eyes. He didn't look at her or even acknowledge her entrance but he knew she was standing there. The noisy droplets of water that dripped off her small shaking form spoke volumes and had given her away long before she even came through the door.

There were no words, no apologies or even barbs to pass between them as she removed her wet clothes and climbed underneath his blankets in a desperate search of warmth. He was in a foul mood after her earlier display when he'd explained the piece of Eden to her. His golden brown eyes didn't even bother seeking her out within the small lump of covers until she was burrowed securely from his view. After a while, he rose from the windowsill and stalked quietly over to the wet naked girl hiding beneath his bedding. Inwardly, his violent nature wanted to yell at her, her to yell at him. He wanted to hurt her the way she was hurting him... Maybe even allow her to strike him so he would have an excuse to unleash his angry thoughts but instead she did none of those things and for some reason that was worse than the hardest slap in the face she could ever deliver. Letting his belligerence get the better of him by tearing her from the bed and riling her up would only create an all out war tonight when in actuality, all he truly sought was peace. Tired and resigned, he lifted his long sleeve tunic over his head with a bit of difficulty due to his bandaged shoulder and calmly inched his way within the covers, the small tremors of her shakes silently telling him that she was still awake.

She tensed when she felt his long fingers sliding over the soft bronze skin at the crest of her hip. They stayed there for a long time and when he didn't move further or make a sound, she began to wonder if he was waiting for her to give the acquiescence to touch her, which she found odd since he hadn't bothered asking the night she came to him in Jerusalem. She slowly pulled the covers from her head and rolled on her back to meet his tired, half-lidded gaze.

She knew now that Altaïr did care for her and would show it in his own ways. Such as the way the usually cold and stoic features of his face would soften as he looked at her with a gaze he would not dare show any other. Just like he was doing now…

But even though Altaïr may care for her, she on the other hand didn't know if she could feel the same way for him again and that was the constant flood that would keep tearing their dam apart.

They weren't married. She wasn't even sure if she loved him but just like so many other factors in life, everything must come with a price. So since Altaïr had taken it upon himself to choose a path for her, her decision to stay in the city had also chosen a path for him. If he was going to maintain a hold on her life then she made an oath to keep an even stronger hold on his heart by taking everything that he had to give until she had destroyed it as he had once done to her own.

And as deranged as that may seem, it was oddly the closest to a truce that they were going to get...

Altaïr's eyes traveled along the soft features of her face as though he was trying to recommit her to his memory once again despite the fact that she had only been gone for a few hours. During her stay here with him these past few weeks, he had been trying to bring the young woman back to her shell yet the wary hazel eyes that met him from behind her thick smoky lashes were those of a soul becoming lost in a depression induced void.

At first his own irritable mood only seemed to worsen as the gloomy storm poured into the night but it all began to fade the moment his fingers came into contact with her supple feminine skin that was like the most soothing and addicting aphrodisiac ever known to man. He was amazed to find that even to this day her presence never ceased to bring some sort of comfort to him despite their quarreling and couldn't help but wonder if there had been a reason she was brought back into his world... Against his best efforts to return that same reassurance however, his fingers were met with tense and untrusting muscles.

Adah continued to remain speechless even as the pad of one of his fingers began to trail up her lower belly and dip into her belly button. Unmoving she watched his slightly parted lips slowly lean over in an attempt to join them with hers, his fingers creating a nice diversion until she suddenly looked away before he got too close.

Altaïr's eyebrows furrowed displeased, his good arm darting around her naked waist and pulling her damp shivering back to his warm chest and stomach. She went limp in his arms. "I know my Adah from childhood is still lurking somewhere deep inside that hollow husk you pretend to occupy now..."he whispered quietly, "Why do you still shield it from me?"

"I have to... It's the only thing I have any control over anymore..." she replied dolefully. "And I refuse to lose that to you too."

And that was exactly how she wanted it to be... She'd abide by her oath. She wouldn't give him anymore of her than she had to and keep her defenses as high as possible. Even if he managed to draw her into another sexually charged moment similar to that of the cargo room, he would be merely chipping away at her shells surface. And in spite of his best efforts, those walls would never fall.

+++End Flashback+++

Although that was months ago, things were still pretty much the same. The only difference between now and then was that now she had at long last grudgingly accepted that this was where she will always be and that regardless of how much she tried, there is no changing that cold hard fact.

But just when she thought she had finally gained a leg up on her destiny, fate instead decided to turn the tables and play an entirely new and frustrating game with her. This was the second time this morning her rebellious stomach decided to rid itself of the breakfast she had barely been able to force down. This new disturbing development only added to her already mounting frustration and sadly, the most she could do was pray she had not contracted some sort of illness.

That is if someone upstairs was actually listening this time, but with her luck she wouldn't keep her hopes up.

In any case, she was at least thankful she could suffer in silence for the time being. Altaïr had left for travel to Jordan several days before with one of his highest ranking advisors to search for a similar artifact like the Piece of Eden he'd shown her before. It would take them at another day to return which would hopefully give her time to recover.

To her surprise, she thought about the orb more often than not. Its existence was puzzling and intriguing while at the same time just as equally terrifying. It had the capability of changing the eyes of an entire country for good and possibly put an end to the war if wielded by a responsible hand that could resist its temptation of wrong doing. But after his previous incident with Al Mualim, Altaïr didn't appear to want to risk taking that chance. Since taking over the role of their Master after Altaïr took Al Mualim's life, Altaïr had been ruling over the Assassin's without the slightest difficulty. He was a hard but fair leader, molded from a young boy to an adult in the ways of politics and murderer. He was able to provide the necessary structure his followers needed to ensure their Order continued on to purge the Holy Land clean for its people. As an upside for her, his demanding duties offered a welcoming reprieve throughout the day by allowing her some much needed time away from him and his incredibly persuasive fingers.

She noticed how his craving to sleep with her was occurring more and more lately like he was afraid he would never get another chance. He didn't seem to care when it was occurring, whether it be a quick rendezvous in the darkened passageways of the fortress when he was free of his duties or a lengthier coupling in his chambers at night. She would patiently await his return in his rooms that overlooked the garden behind the fortress as he instructed, feigning sleep until the telltale sign of his stealthy entrance to signal what was to come. It was then followed by his eventual slip underneath the covers to pull responses from her all too willing body. And every time she gave in to the pleasurable sensations he offered, the hated words of being called nothing but a harlot by that black-hearted Lieutenant from her first attempted escape would flutter throughout her mind.

But she didn't care because maybe that was all she was and for a person with so many failures during her time, that seemed to be the only thing she was truly good at...

Pulling her stained dress from the river, Adah stood shakily and rang out the garment to let dry over the rock while she fought off another overwhelming wave of nausea. The idea of leaning down to grab her sandals quickly turned into regret when her stomach then twirled upside down to create another fit of heaves. The feather light footsteps of a pair of hard leather boots approaching from the narrow path behind her that led into the alcove fell on deaf ears.

Altaïr had caught glimpse of her from the rocky cliff above as he traveled on horseback and became infuriated to find her here alone and defying him as always by wandering the outskirts of the city after returning early from an unsuccessful voyage. Many times he had advised her to take his guards with her if she felt the need to linger beyond the city gates, as long as she remained within his territory where he could ensure her safety. He swore she was the most stubborn woman he'd ever come into contact with during his long years although somehow he knew he would never want her to behave any other way. Unlike the other timid women that lived in their husband's shadows, Adah was like an untamed spirit that boldly spoke her mind and did her best to do exactly as she pleased. She possessed a strong will and that alone was what made her different from all the rest.

Slowly he emerged from the surrounding foliage not far from the water's edge and barked out her name as he approached, but didn't think better of it until it was too late. Instead of her reacting to him and providing the awaited explanation he was expecting from her, she let out a yelp and spun around too quickly for her easily aggravated tummy, forced to turn back to the water to evacuate it once more. His eyes narrowed.

'_She is ill, in the middle of nowhere, and practically half clothed. Why?'_ he thought annoyed as he hurriedly advanced in her direction.

After giving up the will to fight off her dizziness, she clumsily stumbled a few steps backward from the water and abruptly dropped on her bottom. The long white tails of his robe quickly invaded her vision until he finally knelt down in front of her to look her over, his hands grabbing at the small of her exposed waist to help hold her upright.

"What is the matter and why are you not dressed?"

He was furious and yet slightly relieved to see her again after so many days of being away even though she was out on her own in a land plagued by war and worse, clad in only her undergarments! He frowned. After all this time, she still hasn't changed a bit. No matter how many times he thought he had figured her out again, she would present some new twist up her sleeve to aggravate him with.

She covered her mouth with a hand to hide the high pitched hiccup that leapt from her throat and groaned. The most she could do was desperately hope that he would not look in the direction where her breakfast was now resting near the shore.

"What brings you out here?" he questioned loudly again, his anger returning after he heard no response to his previous interrogation although he really hadn't given her a chance to answer.

Alarmed, she jumped at the sound of his firm and heavy voice.

"W-well I needed some time alone but on the way I became ill and have been here ever since." she blurted, embarrassed that he witnessed her regurgitating by the rock and sheepishly looked to the ground to avoid his penetrating golden brown gaze. She hated losing control of her stomach and to have Altaïr, of _all_ people, see it happen couldn't be any worse!

"My dress has suffered the worst of it. I did not have much warning the first time it happened... It is over there by the rock to dry." She finished and glanced in its direction.

"Adah... You know it is unwise to wander so far alone. I tell you of these things for a reason, not to give you a new excuse to be disobedient." he chastised as his ever watchful eyes scanned the alcove and surrounding areas.

She merely gave him a look of indifference and pitifully attempted to shrug away his hands in order to lie on her side and settle her escaping stomach. She felt drained and wasn't in the mood for his scolding and overprotective attitude towards her being out here. But she had to get away, if not for a little while. The smothering environment in Masyaf was about to take her to wits end if she didn't get some time away from it. Even though she gave him a cross expression, she was actually glad he was here.

"I see you have returned early... I take it you were successful in your search?" she whispered.

"Not at all. The second orb lay buried within a newfound region that no amount of bargaining would allow us permission to cross. For now it will have to wait, but I will deal with that at a later time. I must return you to the city and question who allowed you to wander this far alone in the first place." he replied in a relatively frustrated tone.

"Do not be cross or punish them, Altaïr. I assure you the guard does not know of my disappearance..." she admitted and closed her eyes, comforted by the feel of his cool fingers smoothing away the damp strands of hair from her forehead.

"Which is even more reason of why they will be discussing it with me." he concluded, ending the conversation and knitting his eyebrows together as he evaluated her condition.

Everywhere he felt, her dark skin was hot to the touch and her breathing had become labored. Plus her flushed face accompanied by not being able to hold anything down was certainly not a good sign…

She heard him rise and walk around her unmoving body to gather the few items she'd brought with her before disappearing off into the distance. Her mind began to wander after a while as the soft babbling of the slowly river lulled her nerves. What exactly was happening to her? If something she ate disagreed with her, it _had_ to have been removed by now but she still felt as though any minute her stomach could easily go for another round. What if it didn't leave and instead got _worse_? When her stomach began to bubble hotly she clutched her middle and moaned quietly. She began to question if this was fates way of making a joke and if so, God could go ahead and do her a favor by ending it right now, right by the river's edge. Although the real question was whether or not he could make it as quick and painless as possible before Altaïr came back... Truthfully, this sickness made her feel weak, vulnerable and she didn't like the idea of him seeing her that way. But of course her prayers were never answered anytime the Assassin was involved. She felt a familiar pair of large hands pull her up to a sitting position and she looked at him curiously when he crouched down with his back to her, his hands cupping behind him to urge her to get on.

Altaïr was actually surprised when she didn't object and slowly climbed on to nestle comfortably against the broad muscles of his back. His hands immediately grasped her tightly under her bottom when he stood and her small fingers clutched tightly to his robes as she lay her head against him and closed her eyes. It was almost as though she were worried he might disappear if she let go. Was she actually afraid and silently asking for his help? Or just too tired to put up a fight? He was about to ask as he glanced back into her passive face but pushed the thought aside since it was that kind of thinking that usually rocked the boat and their waters were already rough enough as it is.

Quietly he carried her back up the trail with him to collect his horse and advisor waiting patiently for his return.

"Altaïr?" he heard her in a small voice.

"Hm?"

"I don't know what is happening, but I... I thank you for being here."

His silent response to her vulnerable confession told her of the unusually stunned expression probably plastered to his handsome face and for the first time in a long time the idea of it almost made her want to laugh.

Almost.

...

"Master!"

The guards of Masyaf's watched as their Master trekked seemingly on auto-pilot through the gates with a young girl balled in his arms, his mind long ago having wandered off. Altaïr's was very much concerned for her. Adah's stomach had escaped her once again while on horseback to Masyaf. In spite of this, he couldn't believe how thankful he had been when she scrambled to the ground and darted into the bushes before they were both covered in it.

"You have returned to us, Master!" came a loud and winded shout from over his shoulder. Altaïr stopped in his tracks and turned towards the voice running at full speed from the merchant's district.

'_Jalil...'_ he thought irritatingly. He had more important matters to attend to at the moment as he issued orders to his guards who offered assistance in retrieving a healer and Jalil was only making himself a very annoying obstacle right now. The young man had been constantly trailing him around since his initiation, asking questions to which he should already know the answers to. He wasn't proving to be a very resourceful recruit and was in fact, getting on Altaïr's nerves. One day he'd even gone as far as to asking him about the Piece of Eden which he should only know a limited bit of information considering only those of the highest ranks still knew of its existence.

"Peace be upon you, Jalil... If there is something you are in need of assistance with, look to your instructor Kadar as I am very busy at the moment. He is your point of contact until you are ready for what I have in store for you." Altaïr quickly instructed and started back for the path of the stronghold.

"Wait, were you successful in retrieving the next piece of the orb?" Jalil questioned anyway as he reached up to pull his grey hood back, his feet pacing quickly after him to keep up with his Master's long stride.

"I was not... "

"Then where is it?"

Altaïr continued walking. He had already given his instruction, Jalil need only to follow it. He was unconcerned with his students babbling for now and more for Adah's condition. She had barely moved since entering the city...

"What has _happened_ then?" Jalil pushed again, his voice rising with frustration from Altaïr's continuous brush offs. He watched as his Master looked down at the still woman in his arms.

Still no response.

"ANSWER ME and stop worrying over that retched girl!" he yelled and grabbed roughly at Altaïr's shoulder, bringing him to an immediate halt.

Adah opened her eyes at the pause in movement to survey the scene unfolding before her. She wasn't quite sure what was going on in her dazed state, but her half-lidded eyes widened as she watched Altaïr turn on Jalil and give him a menacing glare that even she would have been proud to sport.

"My apologies... _Master_." Jalil responded, the tone of his voice now in check as he backed down after his outburst and bowed apologetically.

"Do as you are told and you may be prepared for a briefing later..." Altaïr stated and fought to suppress the tone of a threat from his voice.

"Yes, Master."

They watched as the young Assassin pulled his grey hood lower over his eyes, took a slight bow and quickly retreated back towards the merchant's district.

"He has always been so impatient and loose of tongue." Adah commented quietly.

"Indeed, yet he also is aware of his boundaries and has been crossing them much too often these days. He needs to learn his place before that tongue of his is cut out... And I do not mean by me." Altair added when her hazel eyes looked up at him in surprise after resuming his path. "Jalil has been making many problems for himself within the ranks. He is defiant and too hesitant to follow orders which will only result in getting himself killed... Kind of reminds me of someone else I know."

She looked up just in time to catch the crooked grin plastered to Altaïr's face at his comment about her. She was about to throw a bad remark his way but instead shot a hand over her mouth to push back the wave of nausea tied to being jostled about in his grip. When he felt her hand twisting into his robe, he immediately let her go and watched her jump out of his arms, darting up the pathway towards the fortress in a red and brown blur. When was she ever able to move that fast?

Adah burst through the double doors leading to their quarters and made a bee line for the washroom, slamming the metal door and closing herself inside.

'_When will this end?'_ she thought as her stomach lurched to remove any remnants of liquid that had the audacity to collect within her upset stomach. Achy and exhausted, she rinsed her mouth in the pail of fresh water and staged back into Altaïr's room noticing how it began to spin. Suddenly she collapsed across the cold, patterned tile.

...

At first the room was blurry and mixed in various blotches of light that pulsed in and out of focus to match the thumping headache pounding at Adah's temples. She noticed there was a cushy softness underneath her head that was quite different from the hardened tile she remembered smashing against upon her exit from the washroom.

She blinked several times until her hazel eyes lazily came into focus and found a short middle aged man with dark skin and a thick salt and pepper beard feeling around her exposed chest and belly. He appeared to have a bit of wealth judging by his elegantly designed robes. Why was she _naked_? She shook her head to clear the fog a bit and heard the man next to her mumbling something under his breath as he squeezed and prodded around the raised hump in her lower belly. What was going on and who is this man _touching_ her? She was so confused and woozy and couldn't seem to shake off the overwhelming desire to sleep. She tried to sit up to take in her surroundings and most importantly, find out what happened to her clothing, but a painful flash of white passed in front of her eyes .She looked up towards the offending culprit whose hands were pushing her back down into what appeared to be Altaïr's bed.

"What are you doing, Altaïr...?" she called out tiredly once, unable to struggle against his strength once she recognized who it was. When she was relaxed he released her and tugged his red afghan up to cover her blatant nudity, his fingers smoothing her long locks from her eyes.

"Tell me what is going on?" She called out more loudly to get their attention.

She watched the middle aged man approach the bed once more and dropped a large black satchel onto the bed with the symbol of healing and the characters Muntasir written delicately along its side. Was she that ill to require a healer?

"Now calm down. There is no reason for you to become so upset, young lady... In fact, you should be prepared to celebrate!" he began, the corners of his eyes crinkling from the large cheerful smile that broke its way through his beard.

"You are expecting..." he finally finished.

Altaïr's cold and piercing eyes swept over Adah for a moment and once his mind processed those words, he suddenly felt as though someone had just struck him in the back of the head with a club. The man's hand lavished attention upon her rounded belly by rubbing small circles over it then grabbed his satchel and moved for the door. But even in her weakened state Adah was faster than he and had all but torn herself from the bed before the man's bag could fall completely at his side.

"Expecting_ WHAT?" _she hollered from the corner of the room, completely forgetting about her was this man talking about?Had he lost his mind? Surely, he wasn't suggesting what she thought... Perhaps she was dreaming.

"A child, my dear. With symptoms such as yours and the obvious hints of showing, what did you think was happening?"

The room remained quiet for a minute until the bearer of bad news broke the silence once again.

"Apparently, this is too much for you to take in at this time so I will take my leave. Do not be afraid to come by if you have any questions..." he finished and finally exited the door.

Adah glanced at the guilty Assassin still glued to his spot at the foot of the bed who seemed to have vanished into his own little world. Her shaky fingertips slowly rose to examine the small bump that was making itself at home within her belly without her permission. She wasn't crazy... She knew well enough that their "activities" were the cause and to make matters worse she knew _she_ was just as much to blame for this as Altaïr was. Pulling herself from the corner, she reached under the bed and pulled out a small leather bound book and hurriedly flipped it open to the most recent page. She chewed on the tip of her fingernail nervously as her eyes scanned frantically, _desperately_ to count the markings scrawled from page to page, each one tallying the days after the last record of the time she bled. When she reached the first mark that started the next line of several notches too many, all color slowly began to drain itself from her face as one single question screeched to a grinding halt at the forefront of her mind...

What was she going to do now?

...

A/N: Wow I know this was a long wait between updates and I'm sorry! So much has been going on this past month and I had to put it aside for a little bit, but now I'm back and ready to continue on. I hope everyone who likes this fic is enjoying it as much as I am in writing it. I really appreciate everyone's feedback and thoughts towards this story for those that are following it. You guys are awesome! So much drama in A&A's lives... Poor girl, it's just one thing after another. Well there's even more on its way so please stay tuned! :D

The Rusty Peach


	5. The Betrayal

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Assassin's Creed.

Well here we are again with yet another chapter to add to the madness that is this fic. The responses of you guys were much appreciated! They help me get off my ass and start fleshing out the chapters to come!

...

The loud slam of a leather bound book broke through the unpleasant silence, dragging a rather stunned and baffled Assassin back from the dark and concealed recesses of his mind. Immediately, his hood snapped to his right where he spotted what should have been a lovely and familiar little bronze face peering up at him from the floor. But instead what he saw looked nothing to that extent. The normally distant and apathetic mask Adah usually wore to shield herself from him had apparently become nonexistent in just that short of time. Her cheeks were flushed a soft pink and her naked shoulders quaked with the sobs wreaking havoc upon her since the moment his mind escaped into the abyss.

She was broken.

Altaïr called her to him softly and the moment their eyes met Adah turned her back to him and brought her knees to her chest. He sighed silently to himself as the loose ebony curls framing her face fell forward like a thick obstructing veil. As he expected, she was doing what she always did when faced with uncertainty by trying to elude him and the situation as if that alone would make their current predicaments disappear. He chose to remain quiet when her half naked form rose onto unsteady legs, undoubtedly stiff from the extended seated position on the floor, to rummage and fumble about in the corner of the room.

Adah was battling hard to blink back the heavy flood of tears crowding her vision, her snuffles echoing throughout the room as she moved. Why is it that any time she became involved with Altaïr, must everything _burst_ into flames and incinerate her along with it? He just could not leave well enough alone... Why couldn't he have just abandoned her in Jerusalem on that ill-fated day after her pathetic attempt at stealing that forsaken satchel full of coins she just had to have? Surely a child would only complicate things further. And what's worse is that now he had yet another reason to keep trying to control her too. This was not supposed to happen!

At least not to her...

Her continuous weeping shook her body even harder each time her hand brushed passed the slightly curved bulge of her lower belly. With every touch she swore it was getting bigger and bigger by the minute. If only it would just disappear then everything could return to whatever one would call normal around this place. She didn't even know just how far along she actually was. It has been at least three months now that she has been living with and not to mention sleeping with Altaïr. Could it have been since the very beginning?

Aggravated and worn, Adah slumped against the nearest wall to sob quietly, drowning in her increasingly depressing thoughts. Regardless of how much she tried to play pretend in the back of her mind, she knew well enough that nothing would change. This child was here to stay and would only keep pulling the rope between her and Altaïr ever the more tightly even though she wished she could just cut it clean through.

'_Altaïr!'_ she thought once she remembered she was not alone.

His presence was so deathly quiet she'd forgotten he was even in the room. What did he think of this foolish ordeal? Was he as shattered as she? She whipped around to face him and shrieked, jumping back almost wildly against the brick in surprise after finding her view of the room had been suddenly replaced with a white robed chest. Her arms shot up to cover her naked breasts and she hunched her as though trying to curl into herself. He was so tall it almost seemed that he towered over her sometimes and the way she was crying and sniveling in front of him made her once again feel like that of a small child in front of him. She wiped at the tears pouring out of her eyes in what seemed like rivulets before meeting the somber gaze patiently awaiting her underneath his hood. Exactly how long had he been standing there? When the dress she had been looking for the entire time was held up between them, she stopped fussing with her eyes and slowly took it from him.

Adah could almost hear the controlling remarks probably ready to pour from his lips like venom at any second, as was his usual way of trying to enforce his dominance over her. It was always what he thought was best, not she. Yet shockingly he had none. Not really wanting to offer him up the chance and feeling somewhat uncomfortable with his too close proximity, she moved to put some distance between them but he promptly grabbed her upper arm and pressed her securely against the wall.

Hearing of it was one thing, yet right now he had the strongest urge to see the proof Muntasir had spoken of that lead to so many tears. He held her there as he pushed his white hood behind his head and stepped closer to her shaking frame, his eyes scanning over her enticingly bronze flesh. She felt tense, her eyes wide as if in a flash she would tear from his grasp and flee the room the minute his other hand curiously came up to rest on her slightly bulging stomach.

The noticeable roundness of it was still somewhat small beneath his fingers and fit perfectly to the size of his palm. For some reason he was having the hardest time wrapping his mind around the fact of it now having probably the greatest impact on _both_ their lives. Its appearance was so gradual after all this time that he truly did not give it much thought until now. Not like there was ever much time to pay attention anything at all when they were too busy shuffling about on the floor, him carelessly slashing away at her defenses with his busy fingers and her rolling hips turning his mind into mush. He felt the corners of his mouth tug upwards a bit while his eyes scanned over the long glossy curls of hair springing loosely from her head.

At one point in his life, he actually thought the time he would see her again would never come to pass until the day he saw her clumsily speeding down the alleyway to escape her pursuer's clutches. If only she had known that from that moment forth that her fate had practically been sealed when she willingly climbed into his arms to be hauled up the side of the building and out of their line of sight. However, he what he hadn't counted on was that she would put up such a strong battle of rebelliousness and overly resistant behavior. But in the end he had still won the war seeing as now her condition did ensure him one thing. And that was that she was truly his now and would share this connection for the rest of their days. So resist as she may, but she couldn't fight the fact that the heavier with child she became the more dependent of him she would eventually get...

"I do not believe his words, Altaïr. Please, for God sake, tell me that he does not speak truth. He must be mistaken!" she whimpered and clasped her hands together in desperation as she stared up into his handsome and somewhat guilt-ridden face for any kind of reassurance she might get.

Just looking at him she couldn't even count how many times that dangerously alluring face of his had triggered so many of their shameless and lustful trysts responsible for throwing her into the situation she currently found herself in.

Altaïr let his stern expression soften as he gazed down into the only tear stricken eyes to ever be allowed the opportunity to see it. Throughout his lifetime, he always held a strong intuition for a judge of character and had known Muntasir for as long as he could remember. Medicine was his passion. Out of all his long years in the practice of healing, the old man had earned the trust and respect of each one of his patients because he never hid the truth no matter hard it was for them.

"I know the response I am about to give you is not that of which you seek, Adah." He finally responded in a quiet voice, already anticipating the would-be sound of her heart crumbling. "You must remember that one should not need to be convinced if the truth has been lain out before them..."

She felt the mixture of leather and the warmth of his palm cover the obviously round evidence protruding from her belly for a moment before it fell back to his side. The indication that nothing else need be said was clear as he watched her face warp and her tears renew, replacing her hopefulness with an overpowering grief.

When she clutched at the white cloth covering his chest and burrowed her face into his robes, he just stood there and let the pride wash over him, the constant flow of her tears soaking his material completely through to the skin. He knew she would come to terms with it soon enough. It was just a matter of time...

He felt her jump at the sound of someone pounding heavily on the wooden door at the opposite end of the room followed by it being cracked open.

"Master, forgive my intrusion... but I wish to speak with you alone." came the exerted voice of one of his students from behind the door.

As Altaïr's eyes met with those of the distressed girl in front of him one last time, he gently passed his thumb over her quivering bottom lip and slowly withdrew from the room. Carefully Adah slipped her long red dress over her and leaned back against the wall, sliding to the floor in a crumpled heap. She was alone which had at first become her favorite past time but now, the loneliness felt like her worst enemy. She curled into herself on the floor and cried softly as her mind grieved over these life changing events until the muffled sounds of her sniveling delivered her into a much needed and exhausting sleep.

...

"Had I known you'd returned from Jordan sooner, I would have informed you at once." called the voice of his student trailing behind him as Altaïr paced through the iron gate of the garden and entered the fortress library.

"It is quite alright, Mihran. There was a rather _unexpected_ situation in need of my attention..." Altaïr stated and glanced back through the gate at his quarters resting at the back corner of the garden.

"Truth be told_, _am_ still_ attending with..." he noted and turned away quickly to lead up the stairs when Mihran gave him a puzzled look.

"Then I will be brief..." Mihran began, falling in stride once again as they entered Altaïr's study above that overlooked the library. "I received word from the Bureau in Acre that the training assignment you left to Kadar to aid Jalil in during your absence was but a failed attempt. The Informer they were to meet with had been followed after gathering his information outside the Hospitaliar Church and they were attacked by city guard."

"What?" Altaïr questioned as his mind was brought back down to earth.

"Their escape was not an easy one and they did manage to make it back to the safety of the Bureau but Kadar was not so lucky... He-"

"Where is he?"

"There were too many of them and his wounds were great. He did not make it... Jalil _abandoned_ them during the assault and returned to the Bureau only once it was safe. Kadar is testimony to this with his last breaths!"

Altaïr's eyes narrowed and he leaned his weight on the railing of the balcony, staring down at the guards lined up against the dusty bookshelves below, his hands tightening on the wood as he mulled over Mihran's words. Kadar had been one of his best and equally trustworthy men...

"I met with Jalil upon entrance to the city and he neglected to mention any of this when we spoke..."

"Then see for yourself." Mihran stated and pulled out a folded parchment enclosed by a wax seal stamped with the symbol of the Bureau in Acre from inside the breast of his grey robe. He handed it to Altaïr who broke the seal and made a quick examination of the words prior to crumpling it angrily between his fingers.

"Why am I not surprised by this news?" he growled out, the irritation more than evident in his tone. "All Jalil has done right so far is help lead himself into an early grave."

"Master, Jalil hasn't shown the slightest remorse for what he has done! It almost seems he does not have any pride or loyalty to the Creed which leads me to believe he cannot be trusted!" Mihran beseeched.

"Indeed. His attitude has been very suspicious since his initiation and Kadar's death does not do him any favors... but as much as I hate to admit it, both sides must be heard before casting judgment. You know this as well as I..." Altaïr replied and looked away from the fellow Assassin to his left and back to the parchment in his hand.

"Advise the guards at the gate they have my permission to increase their security tonight. No one is to leave the city and inform Jalil he will be under interrogation tomorrow... by me. "

"It is as good as done." Mihran replied.

Altaïr sighed and walked behind the old wooden desk and looked out through the stain glass window. "For now I need rest. My travel from Jordan has been a hard and fruitless journey..."

It wasn't just the journey alone that wore him out. It was the idea that he now had not one but two inhabitants waiting patiently for his attention in his quarters at the back of the fortress that was still weighing heavily on his mind. When the time arose, he would just deal with it as it came and try to focus on piecing together the information found on his trip and Jalil's punishment for his treacherous ways.

Mihran stalked up to his troubled Master's side and placed a gauntleted hand on Altaïr's shoulder, his normally peaceful expression turned grave. "Do not let his poisonous words sway your decision, Altaïr. Jalil is a _traitor_... I assure it!"

He gave Altaïr's shoulder a slight squeeze then secured his grey hood in place and moved down the sandy steps to make his exit.

"Mihran..." Altaïr called out over, his gaze still glued to a non-existent space in the distance, his heavy voice echoing throughout the library. "Once you inform him of his interrogation tomorrow, follow Jalil and do not let him out your sight."

The young Assassin nodded and picked up his pace to hastily carry out his instruction.

Assignments never go as expected, thus is the work of an Assassin but Kadar's unnecessary death was unacceptable and his would not go unpunished. If Mihran's words held true, Jalil's time in the Brotherhood would surely come to an end by tomorrow's eve.

Altaïr then made his way through the various scattered tomes littering the library floor, down the stairs and slipped his way between two closely shoved bookshelves. His fingers walked diligently over the various rows of books, pulling them down randomly one by one to search the pages prior to sliding it back into place. This would be his fourth time skimming through Al Mualim's hand written records and each time it appeared something was being overlooked. The old man was apparently very adamant about remaining vague in his studies of the Piece of Eden and what other enemies who made in the process.

The other artifact hidden in Jordan turned out to be closer than expected compared to the others marked by the orb on landmasses that still remained unreachable. Even if he couldn't attain them all, he would try his hardest to decipher the exact location of the one in Jordan through the use of his Master's records. At least by having both artifacts in his possession, the constant fear of someone else finding such a destructive object near the Holy land would no longer crawl up his pine. Many times did he contemplate destroying the orb and ridding himself of its burden, however each time he approached it his motivation seemed to be thwarted and he often wondered if the orb had some sort of influence over him all its own. But by no means would he allow the orb the level of control it once held over his Master, though. Adding another to the collection would only make it all the more difficult but it was only a small sacrifice for an even greater cause...

After finding the unmarked tome he was searching for, Altaïr sat on the floor and reclined against one of the bookshelves to yet again begin filtering its pages for the madness of the 'treasure' Al Mualim had once labeled as the world's greatest temptation.

...

It wasn't exactly the tinkling of a bell, but it was close enough to it and the louder it was the more fervent it became at pulling her mind from the ever blissful world of sleep. Adah groaned and cracked a hazel eye open to search her surroundings, finding herself still curled comfortably in a corner of Altaïr's chambers. The room was quiet and much colder than before with the chill of winter creeping around the grounds outside. She rose somewhat clumsily and looked around the room for said Assassin but he was nowhere to be found. Eventually that annoying tinkling of before became clear enough to be distinguished as women's laughter floating through the window from the garden down below. She couldn't remember actually trying to fall asleep but was glad she did since now she was feeling much better than before. As her mind worked to collect itself from sleeps vice-like grip, she ran a hand through her tousled hair and soon remembered she'd had the strangest dream. It involved her discovering that she was to become a mother, as strange as that may be and bear that child for the same Assassin still trying to work his way back into her heart no less!

Shaking her head of the ridiculous notion, she began to smooth out the wrinkles in her dress when a hand made its way across the small rounded lump of her lower belly.

Oh_._

The distressing memories of earlier events spread through her mind like wildfire and suddenly the hazy cloud of sleep was erased just as quickly as it had come, leaving behind no traces of the once pleasant moment she was having in its wake.

Adah frowned, blinking back the traces of tears ready to spill over her eyelids and hugged her arms to her torso, feeling the overwhelming sadness beginning to coil none too gently through her at an alarming rate. She was afraid. The prospect of becoming a mother was frightening enough, but how on earth was she going to raise a child in a city governed by murderers? Not quite ready for another round of self pity, she forcefully pushed the situation to the back of her mind and tried to work out a painful sore spot from her neck as she made her way across the room. She didn't want to think of it and was still fighting its truth.

Throughout all of the chaos, her stomach had since abandoned its will to escape during the many unaccounted hours while she slept so for the first time today she was feeling hungry and in need of some fresh air. Slipping on her sandals and grabbing her favorite white scarf, she wrapped it around her shoulders to stave off the cold and made her way for the garden outside.

The closer to the outdoors she ventured, the colder the air seemed to get and was almost enough to make her consider going back inside despite the increasing rumbling of her stomach. Driving forward, she pushed at the heavy wooden door at the bottom of the stairwell and almost losing her footing on the last step, she stumbled noisily into the garden. Numerous feminine faces looked up at her, their conversations having stopped as she crept along the patterned tile to slip through the library and hopefully evade an unwanted run in with Altaïr. She pulled the wrap around her shoulders tighter around her front and walked faster when she actually caught one of the women staring boldly at the small uninvited bump visibile through her dress. Not once has she ever tried to befriend any of them and doubted she would be making any sort of attempt today either...

Finally weaving her way up the steps, Adah peeked through the open gate of the library, catching the attention of the two guards posted on either side. As if on cue they bowed in acknowledgement and resumed their stance when she slowly returned their gesture. She gave the highly elevated room a quick once over, satisfied that the presence of the man in question wasn't nearby and decided to tip toe her way underneath the stairwell and make a dash for the exit into the city to track down her meal.

The line of guards standing along the bookshelves eyed her curiously from beneath their grey hoods as she crept underneath the steps and peeked up the balcony for any signs to indicate where Altaïr may be lurking. Yes she was avoiding him, but maybe it was for the best since she wasn't sure if facing him right now would be the best of ideas.

Sneaking around the corner of the last bookshelf before making her escape into the city for food, she stopped to take one last look up at the balcony above to make sure it was clear.

"Looking for someone?"

Adah squeaked and backed into the bookshelf, knocking off several of the tomes in the process. Lowering her eyes to the right, she found the owner of that all too familiar voice sitting comfortably in the middle of many stacks of books.

"_God!_ I wish you would stop sneaking up on me like that, Altaïr!" she fumed, clasping a hand over her chest. So much for an uneventful escape into the city...

"From the looks of it..." he began, his eyes moving between her and his seated position on the floor, "Who is sneaking up on whom?"

She turned to him and sulked, catching a flicker of the small lopsided smile he'd offered as his way of a silent apology just before his stern mask fell back into place. The path of his eyes trailed lazily up the ample swell of her hips and came to a halt on the slight curve of her stomach. He watched her try building up those ever present walls again by crossing her arms tightly across her chest and averting her eyes.

"I see your company here shows me that you are once again feeling well. Since you've thrown away the meal you had this morning, I'm sure a bit of meat will do you good. You will need it to rebuild your strength." He paused at the pained expression she gave off at the mention of her uncontrollable stomach earlier. "And perhaps a visit to Muntasir could provide some insight as to what to expect as your condition progresses."

She sighed loudly enough for only him to hear, lowering her half-lidded gaze to the floor and over the books resting here and there. At last his stern and domineering comments that matched the look on his face had broken the surface and were already churning out commands. She knew sooner or later they would arise; it was just a matter of when. Not to mention he was doing an excellent job at rekindling the misery she had been trying so hard since awakening to repress.

"I am not that hungry and I have no desire to visit with him, Altaïr... I was just in need of some fresh air that is all." she said with a subdued defiance. After walking about to pick up the books her clumsiness threw across the floor, she placed them back onto the shelves and returned to his side.

A low grumbling emanated embarrassingly from the small bulging stomach between them, forcing two pairs of eyes to flutter down to it. She flushed and instantly brought a hand over it to shield it from his observant eyes still concealed under the pointed tip of his hood.

"I think someone else is demanding otherwise." he said as he rose from the floor and raised a dark eyebrow curiously at her stomach. Of its own accord, his gauntleted hand rose to slowly run his fingers through her long curls that seemed to droop down her shoulders like the richest honey. He knew she was still very young and knew how she might actually see all of this, but he also knew that no matter what he would not allow her go through it alone.

She felt his much larger hand grab her wrist, leading her out from under the staircase and towards the exit to the courtyard. She felt his grip loosen as his hand slide lower to intertwine their fingers much the way he used to when they were children, never wanting her to venture too far from his sight. And for the strangest reason, the tightening of his hand and the forgotten memories of that happier time actually seemed to put her worried mind at ease.

His robe seemed to brighten to the purest of white as they stepped into the fading sunlight fighting to push out from behind the winter clouds. As soon as they made it out of the library Adah heard a noisy commotion chime throughout the training yard. She didn't get any warning when Altaïr stopped completely in his tracks and caused her to ungraciously slam directly into his back.

"Look! _This_ filth was found lurking around in the cargo room!" she heard a gruff voice shout up in their direction. It was getting closer. She peered around Altaïr's side and stared dumbly when a struggling body tied at the wrists and ankles was thrown down in front of his boots by a group of guards.

"Jalil...?" Altaïr questioned, his expression immediately becoming hard with annoyance when the accused ones grey hood was torn down from his head, revealing his identity. "What was he doing in the cargo room, Mihran?"

Using him as a shield Adah slid further behind Altaïr, her small fingers curling into his clothes when she caught Jalil's eyes leering up at her from the ground. He was wearing the most unnerving grin and his teeth were tinged a bright shade of red from the blood seeping into his mouth after the fight apparently carried out during his capture.

"We caught him digging through the gold crate containing the orb and scribbling information down on this piece of parchment. He is refusing to confess who he has been sending the information to and following his detainment, he hasn't spoken since."

"Then bring him forward and strip him of his weapons." Altaïr ordered. "This discussion was not to take place until tomorrow Jalil, but this has gone on long enough... Kadar is dead is because of you. And It seems your further actions insist on your judgment being cast this evening and given that you obviously seek it so strongly... then so it shall be done."

"Kadar is dead?" he heard Adah gasp from behind him with wide eyes. He turned to her quickly, forgetting she was there. He had the intention of telling her, but now had not been the time. Her eyes misted up as the recognition of her old friend's death tore through her mind. "Why did you not tell me?"

"We will discuss this later." Altaïr responded and nudged her back into the doorway of the library. From behind the edge of the door, Adah watched with heavy sadness and the pressure of her consuming fear when Altaïr held out a hand and a long scimitar was placed into his palm. She knew what was coming and didn't want to look yet now she couldn't seem to turn away. Altaïr waited patiently, twirling the length of the blade around his hand to test its weight while waiting for the guards to drag the other Assassin up the stairs and force him to kneel.

That's when she saw it. That same cold, malicious look she'd seen Altaïr sport that night he gladly laid waste to the Saracen soldiers long ago as it crept its way across his face and doubling her fear tenfold. This couldn't be happening, not again! It was the side of him she was terrified of and hoped she would never have to see again but just like everything else with him, she never got what she wanted.

"Let us try this again." she heard Altaïr state lowly, the glint of malevolence already apparent in his eyes while he circled around Jalil.

"You see, the Bureau in Acre and my faithful students have briefed me of the training assignment I sent Kadar and yourself to carry out... And instead of success, I am brought grief. Why is this?"

With his stance proud and his head held high even on his knees, Jalil continued to remain silent enough that one would mistake his tongue to have been cut clean from his throat.

Altaïr made an irritated noise. "You realize you have been brought here to plead your case so I suggest you use this time wisely." he added and stopped in front of Jalil then pressed the curved tip of his blade into Jalil's jugular.

"You have been given chance after chance and each time I receive nothing but excuses and disappointments. And now one of my best men is _dead_ because of you."

"I did what was necessary to carry out the task!" Jalil protested.

"Necessary for whom? From what I have been told you did it to salvage your own life and left the others to die-" Altaïr's statement cutting off when Jalil spat the accumulating blood of his mouth onto the toe of Altaïr's leather boots. Losing his normally stoic demeanor, Altaïr tossed the light-weight scimitar to the side, the thin blade vibrating as it clanged loudly to the ground. It was quickly replaced by his strong and thick forearm winding tightly around Jalil's neck, the tiny pointed tip of Altaïr's hidden blade pricking into the vulnerable flesh underneath his unshaven jaw.

Jalil made a start from the swift movement, nicking himself on the finely sharpened blade.

"You have betrayed us, Jalil... We welcomed you in as a Brother to our Creed and this is how you repay us?" Altaïr spoke into his ear. "Who have you been sending this information to?"

"Do not be so hasty, Altaïr... I have no need to tell you seeing as you will meet my Master soon enough." the foolish young man uncaringly began. "Do you find it funny that people are always praising and rejoicing about their 'God' only when they need something from Him! This war between Salah al- Din and the King plagues our land as we _speak. _All for a righteous 'God' who possibly does not exist... I grow sick of it and so does my Master! He will show you that your precious God is a myth when he comes for the Piece of Eden and each of you will fall to the divine power he will possess."

"It is not your place to decide what is real and what is not for the people... We all have our own beliefs and it is up to them to decide thus you have condemned yourself." Altaïr stated and gripped Jalil by his short black hair. "You dared join my ranks, conspire against me, and leave my men to die all while you serve another Master... Well no longer will you compromise the Brotherhood with your deceitful ways... You are indeed a traitor and will die as such."

"Then I will pass with no regret but before I depart from this world, tell me Altaïr. Do _you_ believe in God?" Jalil asked with a bloody grin, coughing slightly from the rise of blood oozing upwards from deep within in his torso.

"No..."

"Then perhaps your soul might be spared on the day of reckoning when my Master comes."

Adah darted behind the doorway and scrunched her eyes tight as she slid to the ground and burying her face into the red cloth over her knees. Had it been a minute too late she would have been unable to shut out the horrific sight of Altaïr driving his hidden blade through the soft pliant tissue of his Jalil's neck, relentless and unstoppable with exact precision like it was an appendage of Altaïr himself.

She heard Jalil's lifeless body being thrown to the ground with the sickening thud of dead weight and a thick stream of Arabic pouring heatedly from Altaïr's lips to order the removal of the body as well as the disbursement of the collected crowd. Adah remained motionless in her little red burrow, willing her heart to move back into her chest in order to face what awaited her on the other side of the doorway.

The idea of strolling through town to scan the merchant's stands for her favorite food with Altaïr seemed promising in the beginning. Never having felt so hungry in a long time, her mouth was almost watering from the imaginary scent of so many delicious dishes wafting through the food district as they crossed her mind... However when she felt Altaïr's four fingered hand, the same one that held hers a few moments ago that was responsible for taking Jalil's life come to rest on the back of her head, she had no appetite for any of it.

...

TBC...

Stay tuned because as always, there is more to come and feel to tell me what you think, whether good or bad. ^^

The Rusty Peach


	6. Acceptance

It wasn't long before the frosty chill of winter crept its way through Masyaf, blanketing the small city atop the hill in a thin, fluffy layer of snow. It was odd to see the usually bustling population that normally traveled about the city dwindle itself down to just a few stragglers with everyone retreated for a warm refuge inside their homes. Even Altaïr shed his thin white robe for one of the heavier black and red robes that carried a similar pattern to that of his old Master to help fight off the chill. To be honest, Adah was thankful for the drop in temperature because it bought her a little more time to keep her steadily growing stomach hidden underneath her thick winter clothing. Especially since the continuous traffic flowing into the training yard and fortress had come to halt. To have her condition exposed on display for the populace would only garner some very unwanted attention from the townspeople seeing as an unwed mother wasn't exactly something looked very highly upon and was absolutely forbidden within with the Creed.

Another three months passed seemingly in the blink of an eye after the unveiling of Adah's gradually approaching birth, giving her plenty of time to push the dark clouds from her mind and let her present dilemma become clear...

Things may not ever turn out quite in her favor during the span of her new life, but Adah had to admit the new life she was currently given was much better than the terrible path she was intentionally leading herself in the long run. All this time she'd tried her best to keep the blindfold over her eyes by believing that the outside world was better when in actuality, it only shielded the fact that it was a great deal worse... And she never thought, not once, that the one to tear that mask from her eyes and leave her susceptible to the truth would be none other than a cold, lethal killer who once in her eyes knew only of how to destroy...

When she did try to survive alone, Adah somehow managed to provide for herself– despite the fact that it required stealing–but how long did she think it would have really lasted? When would she find herself thrown into filthy cell and beaten for being a thief, all for the hopeless desire to be independent? If it hadn't been for Altaïr coming along day that in the alleyway, she was sure she may undoubtedly be there right now...

But now that part of her was in the past and was best to pretend it never existed seeing as she was well on her way to becoming a mother, meaning it was time for her to finally put an end to the crying, praying, and longing for a life that obviously was never meant to be.

She wasn't really sure about her abilities to raise a child since she never really had much experience with her parents to fall back on, but it wasn't exactly as if she had a choice in the matter from the start. Altaïr, on the other hand, seemed to be unaffected by this quandary and was as proud as the first day he was granted the rank of Master Assassin long ago even though he hid it quite well.

But right now, there was only thing that worried Adah more than anything else. She was terrified to the core that should her unborn be a male, the Assassin's would automatically seal his fate in training him to become one of their own, as was the predetermined destiny of all male children born into this twisted cacophony of madness that made up their Brotherhood. And she knew no amount of pleading with Altaïr would be able to set him free...

While deciding to face these unchanging facts, Adah eventually began the long process of finally letting her stubborn grudges against said Assassin go by forcing away the urges to remain as resentful as she once did so proudly a while back. She had to. Her growing stomach was making her extremely vulnerable and proved she needed Altaïr now more than ever before.

So having developed a more contented perspective on her steadily changing life, Adah now spent her days at Altaïr's side. Lately, he had made it his priority to not allow her to wander about on her own and remain within his sight at all times. It all began after the discovery of Jalil's betrayal and plans to seize the piece of Eden. The Assassin then became guarded and so agitated Adah could often feel it oozing around him like a bad aura. His normally hard and stoic mask was cracking along the edges and it was unsettling to say the least. Altaïr had always known what to do in the past, regardless of the situation. Why would now be any different? It was as if he wasn't sure what was coming, when it was coming, or even the best method of approaching it once it was here.

Strange, really...

The fierce and elusive predator had now become the prey and Altaïr, for probably the first time in his life, was at a loss as to what to do.

While he continued to struggle with this plight, Adah was also raging a battle all her own. It hadn't quite been three months into her condition and already she was _past _frustrated. Her once torturously upset stomach had finally made peace with her after several weeks, only to come spinning back as something completely unexpected. It was getting to the point that she could not recognize her own body anymore, being relaxed and comfortable one minute then just as tired and irritable the next. And now it appeared every spot capable of being sore and achy in her body was making sure it to do exactly that.

Sometimes she even felt so aggravated by the absurdity of it all, she wanted to laugh, cry, and scream, all at the same time and couldn't seem to figure out which of the three she wanted to do first! As the time pressed on, her symptoms seemed to show no signs of relenting and just when she thought she was at least gaining a hold on them, her traitorous body decided to throw a new addition into the bunch...

Altaïr's ridiculously persistent nearness was literally driving her crazy with want...

After receiving the news that she was with child, Adah completely ignored anything that came close to resembling a sexual advance from him. She was still too angry and spiteful at them both for even getting tangled into this situation in the first place. But now she found those absolutely tempting advances that he used to have to coerce her with when they were alone as something she would eagerly be looking forward to.

Throughout the long hours of the day she found herself almost pining after him just as she did as a young girl, embarrassing as that may be. And as much she may try to resist, she just couldn't fight the inevitable and would simply gave in to her body's demands, believing it was not her fault and that her condition was truly to blame.

Besides, she couldn't help it if the almost unquenchable throbbing that prodded at her from the heated center within her hips was enough to make her visibly squirm. Nor if it riled her up to the point that it sent her tip toeing secretly after him as he moved through the dark and forbidden corridors of the stronghold. All that mattered was that he made it disappear in the most enticing and positively mind-shattering ways.

She was basically to the point that she didn't even care that this was the exact same thing that had gotten her into this condition in the first place. The damage was already done and she couldn't make the same mistake twice so why not indulge in it a little more?

Especially when she was faced with an afternoon such as this one...

Several times tonight, Adah caught her eyes straying from her book and over to Altaïr's long slender fingers skimming quickly across the wrinkled parchments sprawled over his lap. His torso was bare as he sat clad in only a pair of loose fitting shalwar that sagged a little too low on his hips. To any onlooker, she probably looked like a starving cat as she sat opposite him by the fire in his quarters, ready to pounce anything close to resembling its next meal. She often had to practically tear her eyes away from the compact but muscled planes of his shoulders and arms, marred only by the scars of battles past. Even the thin but dark smooth hair that spread from his chest and tapered to a thin line down his stomach just to disappear into his leggings made her want to go chasing after it. The very thought of those rough hands roving across her sensitive skin, his full lips leaving marks wherever he pleased, and the sensation of him filling her so deeply within her grasping heat was more than she could shake. To her frustration, there were many days when she was forced to wait an excruciatingly long period of time before he could save her from the tingling torture her that her body cried to be released.

But luckily for her, tonight just happened to not be one of those nights...

From the straddled position over his hips, Adah barely noticed the wrinkled cloth of her open robe being tugged down her shoulders to pool into the crooks of her elbows. She was too occupied enjoying the fingertips of Altaïr's other hand skimming over her small rounded belly and nipples to bother with the threads protest as it was torn mercilessly along the seams.

Originally this was supposed to be the time he used to examine the important information sent to him from the other Bureaus to keep him alerted of any updates on the expected attack for the orb. How they managed to find themselves entangled together on the floor of his quarters, she couldn't remember but _this_ time Altaïr wasn't the cause.

She would have felt ashamed if she saw herself behaving this way, yet every time she felt that thick, lengthy member of his plunging gently upwards into her swollen heat, she was thrown farther and farther beyond any form of caring.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open, pulling her out of her warm pleasure induced cocoon by the sensation of a deep rumbling voice against her chest.

She cleared her throat. "Hm?"

"I said I am curious as to what has gotten into you today." Altaïr huffed with exertion, his hips steadily matching the rhythm she'd set. He jerked her head backward slightly with a hand in the back of her hair and promptly returned to covering the soft skin of her neck with deliberately harsh nips.

She flushed a lovely shade of red at his observation of her unusual demand for his affection and leaned forward to loosen his grip on her hair and nuzzle her face against his cheek. "I suppose it is becoming harder and harder to resist you these days... "

Drawing his eyebrows together, confused that she would still be so timid in his embrace, he decided to ignore her unnecessary attempts at modesty and drew her chin down to seal his mouth over her deliciously sweet lips. He was actually pleased with her responsiveness to his touch and didn't quite know if her condition was to blame for eliciting this behavior but decided if it was, then he might consider trying to always keep her this way. Of course he wouldn't dare voicing such an outlandish opinion to her seeing as he had no wish to start a battle he would have absolutely no hope of winning. Instead he would just cherish the moment and use it to his advantage to help him slip hopefully unnoticed through her wall-like defenses while he had the chance.

It seemed the more they engaged in these kinds of activities lately, the more receptive and needy she became. He swore he might come apart from the way she swayed her hips, her fingertips digging into his broad shoulder blades all while whimpering and crooning into his ear.

Painfully needing a change in pace, he lay on his back and tightened his grip on her bottom, jostling her forward a bit to deepen their connection. Adah's hands splayed out over his stomach to help her keep balance over his larger frame, the feel of his slightly raised scars pressing against her hands. He smirked when he felt her back arch, her head lolling backwards as he began to bump against that pleasurable spot deep in her core.

The coolness of the tile floor began to calm the heated and abused skin of his shoulder blades while he relished the feel of her slick folds clasping around his hard, aching member. He couldn't stop himself from reaching up and rolling her soft budding nipples between his fingers and watching her eyes flutter behind her eyelids in ecstasy.

Among so many delectable places on her to touch, her nipples were often his most sought after. They were the most alluring color as if they were permanently dusted with the richest cinnamon and were always the first to garner the attention of his lips.

That is until he unintentionally made a terrible mistake...

Adah suddenly yelped and twisted her chest away from his seemingly rough squeezing hands, her arms shooting up and covering her sore breasts. He raised a perplexed eyebrow at her, ceasing all movement as he quickly propped himself up on his elbows and watched her knead the supple, bronzed globe with her fingers.

"Do not do that, Altaïr! It _hurts_!" she chided, sliding backwards off his lap in a flash and sitting too far out of his arms reach before he could react, the urge to proceed further now dulled with the fear that he might do it again. She knew they would ache at times, but had not expected this. The pain was just too sharp and she swore she could feel it literally throbbing underneath her fingers. To be this painful she couldn't help but wonder in the back of her mind just how far along she had become.

The moment Altaïr sat up, the pang of her discomfort became more evident than at first as he observed her awkward retreat. Her nervous eyes widened as he then stood to retrieve her. Adah felt her flush deepen across her cheeks as her eyes traveled lower down the flat, muscled plane of his stomach. He did nothing to hide his obviously aroused state from her and shed not an ounce of shame as he closed in. She flinched when he knelt down, grabbed roughly at the collar of her white drooping robe and hauled her suddenly flailing, naked form flat to the floor underneath him in one quick movement.

"Settle down, Adah." he reassured in a voice still husky with lust as he entwined his larger fingers with hers and forced them up above her head. "Never would I purposely hurt you... You should know this by now."

She stilled her frenzied movements and stared up into her captor's handsomely rugged face before he dipped down and began sucking on the juncture where her neck and shoulder met. He felt her stiffen beneath his touch and frowned, his head slowly rising again to look her in the eye.

"Have I ever given you a reason to believe otherwise?"

"No," she responded in a submissive tone in response to the demanding look plastered to his face. "And I know you never will, but-"

"But?" he pressed setting his mouth in a firm line. "You must stop hiding these things from me. I always find them out at point or another. This situation could have been avoided..."

She averted her gaze. Slowly his eyes began to take in the sight of her naked bronze skin below him, stretched out atop the white robe still attached to her arms and the long curls of her hair splayed out to softly cradle behind her head. Anxious to return to the task at hand, he pressed his hips against hers in search of any blessed friction he could get.

"Forgive me, they are just too painful right now for you to treat so roughly... Just promise to be more careful next time?"

With the reassurance of a convincing nod, he freed her hands and let his own trail a ticklish path down her ribs and over the soft, bronze skin covering her growing stomach. She closed her eyes and relaxed when he leaned down and kissed the tender breast he'd apparently harmed. The apologetic kiss was quickly followed up by his tongue laving over the budding nipple obviously still asking for his attention.

Adah's eyes flew open and she yelped in surprised when Altaïr sat up on his knees and pulled her bottom flush against his hips, his knees sprawled beneath her, her legs splayed over his. Altaïr felt his ego swell and smirked inwardly at her reaction when two of his long slender digits slipped back into the one place that easily made her writhe. He watched her moan with satisfaction, her body writhing as his fingers rekindled her flames within. He didn't think he'd ever seen her so riled up before. Just that quick she was completely flushed down to the tops of her breasts, her hips squirming from his questing digits, and she was almost to the point of burning to the touch. If he wasn't careful she might actually teeter over the edge on her own with just the help of his hand.

"Altaïr, wait!" she urged, attempting to sit up and nudge him back with a hand to his bare chest, her head swimming from the lack of adequate breath as her eyes opened to look up into his. "I do not want to without you."

Refusing to yield, Altaïr bit his lip in concentration and applied more pressure to the hypersensitive spot within as he worked her like the crafter of the finest blade. He watched with smug satisfaction as the small woman released a strangled cry and finally bent unwillingly to his mercy.

He chuckled low in his throat when she finally went slack, her chest rising and falling as she reached up to brush the dark, messy hair from her eyes.

"Rest assured. You have my word will have your chance."

He withdrew slowly and brought his glistening fingers up to sample her tangy essence that was so sinfully sweet. The blood roared in her ears as she observed his seductive little taste test, her eyes gazing longingly at his rounded lips sucking her fluids from those strong, deadly fingers. As she looked on she didn't seem to notice her own all too eager fingers creeping down past her slightly protruding belly button and lower still until suddenly her drifting hand was unexpectedly captured in a firm grip at the wrist. Removing his cleaned fingers from his mouth, he shook his head disapprovingly at her and she tensed, staring at him in shock as if she had just been caught doing something she shouldn't have.

"Impatient aren't we?" He questioned and looked in her direction with his intensely sharp eyes.

"Perhaps..." she whispered boldly with a coy smile over her lips, her voice lacing the statement with an unseen challenge. "Or you are just having difficulty keeping up."

Taking the hint, Altaïr leaned forward and sealed his mouth over hers, demanding entrance into her parted lips. Adah cupped his face to obligingly deepen the kiss as she fell back to the floor under his weight, her thumbs caressing the rough stubble of his jaw.

All of a sudden she felt herself tugged upright by her upper arms, mashing her naked front to his by a strong arm around her waist as he yanked her robed none too gently from her arms.

A heated shiver crept its way under her skin and sprinkled it with goose bumps as she was then hugged between his thick biceps, a hand grasping into the back of her thick curls. Altaïr's mind began to race as he stood with her in tow, shoved her back against the wall and doubled her up by pulling her knees to either side of her and drove into her for as long as she could take.

Soon becoming too much for him, he pushed a large hand between them and pressed his thumb against her baby soft button causing her second release to ripple through her like a crashing wave.

A groan rumbled deep in his throat as he let himself be overcome by her convulsing around him to finally erupt hotly within her welcoming core, feeling as though a pail of cold water had just been poured down his spine.

Adah unleashed a throaty whimper and pressed her forehead to his, the soft tips of her thumbs smoothing down either side of his face. A hiss slipped through his clenched teeth to accompany his descent and his knees slowly gave way, allowing them to slide lazily against the wall to the floor.

When rough calloused fingers released their grip on her thighs and bottom, Adah let her legs flop to the floor. Starting with his angular jaw, she kissed her way up to his lips, the tickly beginnings of his mustache earning him a light giggle while his lungs worked to catch his breath.

She let herself be pulled away from the wall to lie next to him. She couldn't help the tiny smile she made for the first time since she could remember and hugged him to her, draping a bronze leg over his hip as he buried his face into her neck. He probably wouldn't admit it, but he didn't have to. She knew she'd won. It always took very little to convince him to step away from his troubles by using only what lay hidden under her robe. Adah closed her eyes and let herself drift into a peaceful sleep.

Content with the small young woman lounging somewhat comfortably beneath the length of his torso despite the small roundness of her stomach, he reached up to sooth away the mistreatment he'd previously afflicted on her bottom. When she didn't move, he wondered if she had fallen asleep. He longed to join her, but he knew he was already on borrowed time and could not spare the moment. Regretfully pulling himself from her, he seized her robe from the floor and covered her with it, silently watching her curl into herself.

She had been very persuasive indeed to keep him from his tasks, but he couldn't delay any longer and the information on the parchments strewn across the floor was still in need of his attention. After brushing away several long wisps of hair strewn over her brow, he picked up his own forgotten cloths and slunk away to what would most likely be another chilly bath.

...

A bright pane of sunlight crept its way through the narrow window above Adah's sleeping form. As the hour passed by, the beam managed to creep far enough to land directly over her eyes and grudgingly work them open. After a rolling and twisting fit on the floor to shove away from the offending light, she finally gave up the struggle and opened her eyes, finding her still naked body curled near the wall. She confusedly looked around Altaïr's room, disappointed to find him nowhere in sight. She moved to push herself up and found her lower regions sore. Memories of the enticing events of last night ignited a flush across her face but the feeling was disappointingly short lived. She frowned at the offensive light forbidding her the opportunity to actually enjoy the pleasing memories swirling pleasantly in her mind and covered her puffy, defenseless eyes from the glow pouring into the window from above. She sighed.

It was official. Never would this particular spot be used as her sleeping place again. As soon as she sat up her swelling stomach gave off a loud offending grumble.

"It is too early for you to awaken..."she moaned, looking down at her persistently growling stomach where her unborn resided then over to the more comfortable and secluded bed resting far away from the bothersome sunlight. "Must sleep a little longer and I promise we will find food."

To her astonishment, the grumbling seemed to subside. Wobbling up, she stumbled over to the bed and plunged face first into Altaïr's warm bedding. Her eyes drifted closed as sleep began to draw her back into its lovely embrace for the second time this morning yet before she even had the chance to fall asleep, the grumbling abruptly intensified and popped her tired red eyes wide open.

She let out an aggravated groan at the realization that her simple request, like any other, had unfortunately been denied and sat up on her elbows to glare down at her curved stomach. "Isn't it far too early for you to begin taking after your father?"

Deciding to pamper her unborn's demand, she pushed out of bed and hurriedly cleaned herself up in the washroom. She cringed as she poured the fresh cold water down her back, scrubbing all over vigorously. A comb was dragged through the tangled curls of her hair, accidently yanking too hard on the left side and pulling a small knotted mass with the teeth. Throwing the comb down in frustration she pulled on a clean blue dress and white wrap then stormed through the door to begin the search for her absent Assassin that held the key to her breakfast.

Taking her first step of the day outside, she noticed it was actually a bit warmer than the past few cold and dreary days even though the thin tufts of snow scattered here and there were nowhere close to melting. Making her way at a steady pace through the garden behind the fortress, she intentionally ignored the women scattered here and there that had obviously ventured outside to enjoy the unexpected warmth. Darting around the corner as she followed the path leading around the icy tiled pond, Adah was abruptly stopped in her tracks. Slowly she looked up at a woman seemingly a few years older than she who folded her arms and boldly glared down upon her.

Carefully, Adah examined her while keeping her distance. The woman was much taller than she with slightly thinner eyebrows, her upper eyelids painted in coal with twisting black curls of hair wound tightly amongst each other as they danced atop the crest of her shoulders. Like the other women she was adorned in a long white wrap with several thick golden bangles attached to her ankles and wrists.

"Everyday we have watched you slip through here every morning in such haste and not once have you ever spared us a passing glance... May I ask is there something about us that you find distasteful?" the woman urged as the others began to close in around her out of curiosity.

"N-no I..." Adah began, wringing her fingers slightly as she was backed into a heavily bricked corner of the fortress's passageway that led up the staircase and the library.

Adah's eyes darted to the women gathered around her nervously. She knew these women of the garden had been shut away most of their lives, completely restricted from the outside world and any of its people. Even the men of the fortress were especially banned from their presence to ensure they remained chaste and untainted, as they were so vital in the initiation of the Assassin's. It was not a wonder to her as to why they would latch onto any entity to wander through this garden.

"Then why is it you have never spoken? Always keeping your distance from us? Surely the Master does not bid it so..."

Adah's glanced back and forth between the groups ring leader and the gate at the top of the stairs that would take her to Altaïr and more importantly, a decent meal.

The woman's large charcoal colored eyes glanced back at the wrought iron gate before turning them on Adah once again. She smirked. "The Master will not be able to save you this time, little one. Now... what is your name?"

"Please, I do not wish for any trouble..." Adah said quietly and moved forward to silently request her permission through the women-made barrier.

"It looks as though you have already gotten yourself in quite a bit of trouble as it is..." the same woman countered as she stepped up to bar her path.

This time Adah stood her ground, her eyes narrowing as they scanned along their delicately painted faces. "What are you saying?"

The women eyed each other warily in an unspoken stand-off that lasted longer than she would have liked until the older woman extended a thin, sinewy hand between them. Adah's eyes remained transfixed on the calligraphic symbol of purity branded to the back of that hand that forever mark this woman as a cherished possession to the Brotherhood instead of where the limb was actually heading. As soon as the tip of that lengthy index finger was touched to Adah's secretly bulging belly, she snapped out of her trance and jumped back.

"You will not be able to hide it forever, you know?" the woman continued, giving Adah a very deviant smile. She quickly raised that same hand previously on the girl's stomach up to grip her chin. "I am surprised the Master has even let you out of his sight for so long. You know, such bonds are not meant to last." The surrounding women began to murmur amongst themselves but before Adah could object, the hand gripping her chin was yanked away as another shorter, young woman stepped forward. This one with long hair tinged in chestnut that was spooled together loosely in a neat, collected bun.

"Stop it, Nadidah... She speaks and you are ready to shoo her off!"

Adah looked on with a fairly cross expression as the taller woman now going by the name of Nadidah gave off an undignified snort and moved back to blend into the small crowd.

"I am sorry. You will have to excuse her behavior... She is just a little put off by your wish to remain so distant, as are most of us here... My name is Sameera." she went on, offering Adah a gentle reassuring smile and an outstretched palm, the heavy bracelets of her arm clanging loudly as it moved. "Why don't you come with me? There is much we wish to know."

Hesitant at first Adah gave her name as well and gently took the offered hand. She immediately protested as she was pulled by Sameera across the opposite end of the frozen pond and through a rickety wooden door. She continued to resist as her hand was pulled up some steps to the groups private quarters.

"Wait! I do not want to go, I-I have somewhere I must be." She lied and stumbled as she was dragged inside a lavish room, numerous hands pulling her down on her back to lie among many ornately designed cushions scattered across various multicolored rugs along the floor. "Please, STOP!"

Anxiously the women plopped down next to her, giggling amongst themselves as they fawned and pawed over her slightly rounded belly. By reflex Adah gawked incredulously when an ear was pressed to either side of her stomach for a moment then both women darted up at the low growl emanating from deep within. She noted the fact that the two women's faces were exactly identical, their long straight hair dipped with the inkiest black and the outer corners of their brown eyes upturned slightly from their joyful smile.

"The Master will be angry if he discovers you have not eaten. It is best to do as the master wishes. Yes?" one of them chimed with a nod in a thick obscure accent and then scrambled up from the floor.

"I was- "Adah began as her eyes took in her surroundings before looking back to the twin next to her, "-going to look for food when I was stopped by Nadidah."

"Have you chosen a name?" came the first raven haired twin returning with two large wooden bowls in her arms, one filled with a various assortments of freshly ripe fruit and the other stacked to the rim with the most delicious, looking baked chicken.

"Na'am, what do you hope it will be?" added Sameera as she plopped down on a pillow next to her.

The heavenly aroma of the small banquet instantly began assaulting her nose as soon as they were placed to the floor for her reach. Their questions went unanswered as Adah dove into the food, her ears tuning everything out except the glorious chewing sound of her filling her empty stomach.

Ignoring the hands still patting her rounded belly, she quickly filled up with food and occupied herself with discovering what cool slices of fruit tasted the best with each sliver of warm, juicy chicken. The minute a majority of the meal was devoured she licked the tips of her fingers and presented a very contrite expression at her ravenous appetite.

"Forgive me..." she whispered to her lap, still popping chunks of meat into her mouth.

Sameera shook her head and smiled. "Your apologies are not necessary. We have all been dying to talk to you... It is not often we are gifted with the presence of one in your condition."

"I did not mean any harm by not speaking... "Adah added, glancing in Nadidah's direction where she sat at her right. "I was afraid you would think less of me if anyone were to discover what has happened... between the Master and I."

Sameera laughed softly and looked knowingly into Adah's hazel eyes. "We have all known for quite some time about you and the Master. Just between us... we have seen the way he looks at you when your back is turned. I can only imagine how he must be when he has you all to himself!"

She watched the deepest flush explode over Adah's face. She then placed a hand onto the somewhat swollen stomach of the young woman lying in front of her, her soft regretful eyes lingering on it for as long as possible. "Will you tell us... what it is like?"

Adah looked puzzled, at long last putting an end to her chewing. She looked up at the small group of surrounding eyes that waited in anticipation for any information they could absorb. In her haste to pack away the food, she'd practically forgotten they would never be given the chance to experience having a child of their own. They were destined to remain pure and untouched for the remainder of their days.

A sad recollection of the past months reeled to the forefront of her mind, all filled with the distressing memories of once having no desire to remain here as she is now. She thought she had put this place behind her a long time ago, but as she looked down at her stomach she knew that was something of the past. Her mouth opened even though she was unsure if her response would be a positive one or not, the creaking of the wooden door suddenly stole the attention of her inquisitive companions.

They all watched wide-eyed as Nadidah entered wearing a suspicious smile, holding the door open with her head bowed low as a tall, looming figure garbed in black from head to toe save for the hard leather boots stepped silently into the entranceway.

"She has been hiding from you in here all this time. A pity she would disobey you this way..." Nadidah commented pointedly and followed at his heels.

Adah couldn't see above the women piling back against her as the intruder approached, but she knew who it was... The women quietly parted away, the jingling of their heavy jewelry echoing noisily about the room. Adah watched Altaïr's ominous figure proceed forward seemingly in a sluggish motion, his gait long and the pointed tip of his hood darting from left to right as his hidden gaze swept over the room.

Adah cast Nadidah a frowned look after the lie she'd just told, watching as the woman placed herself delicately onto several cushions across from her. Adah dropped the now bare bone she finished picking clean into the bowl in her lap and simply stared sheepishly up at into Altaïr's eyes the second his large boots stopped at her side.

He flashed an upturned eyebrow at her no longer chewing yet still very stuffed cheeks. "I see you have officially met the Houri..."

He watched her swallow hard and nod, looking back at the women that had now placed quite a bit of distance between her and them. Slowly he knelt down next to her, a look of disappointment set over his lips.

"Your coming here is not an issue, Adah. However, you not discussing it with me... is. You know what dangers are lurking outside these fortress walls, most importantly in a condition such as your own. If you feel you must wander away from me, I must know of your whereabouts as well... I thought we have had this discussion before."

Inside, Adah was fuming. Her intent was to go to him as soon as she awoke, but it was Nadidah who stood in her way. If she was going to receive a lecture, it should at least be due to something she did of her own volition!

"Come, we shall finish this in the library. I have many things to do and this discussion has not been one of them..." She heard him state lowly as he pulled her up from the floor by an arm behind her back and her knees then slowly eased her to her feet.

Adah took one last glance of the room as they made for the door, her hazel orbs narrowing with Nadidah who only bowed to her with a wicked smile. She then looked over to Sameera's brown doe eyes and felt that anger dissipate, an apologetic smile gracing the woman's face to wish her a silent farewell as Altaïr blocked her view and nudged her out the door.

...

TBC...

A/N: Well does anyone have any ideas as to what Adah will have or suggestions to what you will like it to be? I'm going to put it into everyone's hands and I would really like to hear what you all think even if it's just a guess and not much else but remember... your choices are what will seal the baby's fate. Have fun!

A short P.S for the beginning of one of Sameera's statements: Na'am is yes in Arabic. ^^

Thank you so much to all of you that have enjoyed this story. I appreciate your letting me know that someone out there is actually reading this and at numerous times at that!

The Rusty Peach


	7. Jealousy

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Assassin's Creed.

I know this is a loooong time between updates. I have been so busy with my classes that I haven't had much time to follow up on my writing! Plus I was kind of at a block on how I wanted to get to my ending.

Again the comments I've received are more than generous and really love to hear from those who have liked this. You all are the best and a lot of the times give me some suggestions or thoughts of how the rest of the story could play out. I remember some of you that have been following this fic mentioned some tummy size issues in chapter six which I didn't really notice until it was pointed out.

Now on with the show! Oh and Houri = virgin.

...

Jealousy…

It has and always will be an ugly and revolting trait for someone to bear. But she never thought that Altaїr would ever be considered a carrier. True everyone experiences it at one point or another and regardless of how arrogant he could be, he was not immune either.

Who could have guessed that someone so proud and confident such as he might find a reason to be jealous? Apparently holding the title as the Master of the Assassin's was just not enough. Perhaps if he were not their Master then maybe Adah could entertain the likelihood of him becoming jealous due to the competitive nature that existed all too commonly amongst their ranks. Besides, it is only natural for one to envy another that has literally killed his way up the ladder to claim a higher status, while the other remains behind to brood.

However what struck her as strange about it all was the fact that it was actually not this type of competitive nature turned jealousy that that bothered her. No, instead it was the type of jealousy you might see in an adolescent boy who secretly vies for the attention of his first love and tries his hardest to heighten his chances of winning her over.

As if dealing with this vortex from hell she called her raging emotions due to her progressing condition weren't enough! She had no idea she would involuntarily be forced to try and juggle this particular emotion from him as well.

Of course Altaїr acted as though there was nothing wrong, as if he had simply been sleeping away these past seven months of her expecting. Why was she always the only one suffering with it all?

But this was just the beginning. Everything seemed to be against her. Nowadays she was having an even harder time keeping her bulging stomach a secret and to her shock, rumors about them began to spread throughout Masyaf like wildfire while each day passed on all the more quickly than the last. Gossip was to be expected in small towns such as this, but this was ridiculous! And being associated with the leader of the Assassin's was certainly no exception. She soon discovered a number of jealousy driven comments about her, usually set off by the women who inwardly wished to be in her place.

To top it all off, time was even against her too as it continued to charge her faster and faster to her inevitable end when its cold, insensitive claws would finally reach out and force her to give birth.

A smile gradually faded from Adah's youthful face, forming a slight exaggerated frown when she heard the sound of Altaїr clearing his throat accompanied by his intimidating and murky shadow swallow her up from behind. It was not him she was frowning at, it was his timing. It was just the exact moment as always to interrupt the peaceful conversation between her and the younger merchant standing proudly behind the counter of his stand.

This was her purpose to leave the fortress today. She waited all afternoon for this quiet and peaceful walk throughout the city despite the fact that Altaїr had been reluctant to go until she practically shoved him through the fortress gates. He was always busy and spent so much time in his library trying to find out who was coming to raid the fortress for the Piece of Eden that his time with her had become limited.

She only wanted to get away from that place... if only for a little while.

But Altaїr couldn't even put away his work long enough to be with her, of all the simplest requests.

'_This is insufferable...' s_he thought and exhaled quietly, her hazel eyes glancing back for a second instead of completely turning around to face her long time companion and father to her unborn.

Sure she knew the young merchant behind the counter, who went by the name of Bashir, had developed feelings for her over the past month. It was in his eyes for anyone to clearly see the way he felt about her. She would often find him ignoring his other shoppers and lingering on a certain item that he knew she would love just for a chance to see her eyes sparkle the moment he showed it to her. If only he knew of the cunning little pickpocket she had once been so long ago... Maybe it was good, however that he did not because if he did, rest assured he would close up shop the moment he caught wind she was on her way.

For the duration of her visits, Adah didn't fail to notice that Bashir would often linger much longer than he had to once the transaction was complete just to see her smile and bid him good day. And even then, he would try to find another reason to try and make her stay by his stand as long as possible. Anything at all it didn't matter! But as much as she tried to ignore it, she couldn't help finding it absolutely adorable.

Whenever she could persuade Altaїr into abandoning his duties and escorting her into town since he refused to let her go on her own, Bashir's stand was the first she would excitedly run to simply for the anticipation of hearing all the happenings that may have transpired in the city over the previous days. His stories were usually a buzz with excitement which she would eagerly pass on to the secluded women of the garden the very next chance she had.

But, she also knew Altaїr knew of the young man's feelings for her just as well as she did and for some strange reason, she slowly found herself liking this jealous side of him. But the way he had been acting out on it now was completely unacceptable!

Here she was, speeding down the road to motherhood at an uncontrollable speed and Altaїr was still worrying himself with the idea that she might one day decide to make another futile attempt to turn tail and flee. How could she? Each and every day, her stomach continued to grow before both their eyes and she couldn't stop wondering where he actually thought she might go in her state. Half the time it was hard enough finding an appropriate dress to help conceal her stomach from the public before becoming upset that most of them no longer fit. Nonetheless trying to work up enough energy to move about the fortress alone before she felt utterly exhausted.

Hopefully Altaїr would not be foolish enough to suggest that she might try to one day disappear with Bashir...

The man was blessedly kind unlike some of the other merchants in town and must have been born with the patience of an angel to deal with her indecisiveness. Not to mention that like Altaїr, Bashir was also rather good looking in his own right with his soft grey eyes, warm smile and curly chin-length black hair. It was often a wonder that Bashir had not married. He certainly fit the profile for a fitting husband especially since his needlessly expensive clothing usually net him the attention of many women no matter their age, whether married or not.

Sometimes watching them flock to his stand at the break of dawn often made Adah wonder what her world might have been like had she been in their shoes instead of her own that was continuously tainted with the mention of spilling blood.

Although judging by the situation she currently found herself in, the merchant was clearly never meant to play anymore than his current role in her life. Besides, _this_ was the path that was chosen for her so follow it she must...

She didn't hate Altaїr for everything that occurred between them even though her heart once told her that she should... Yet she just couldn't because despite their differences, he has and always will be there for her when there is no one else left to turn to. He had not only been her lover, but also her closest friend...

Something about them would continue to draw her to him and him to her no matter which path they probably went. And despite how much his outer appearance might prove otherwise, she knew Altaїr would never be perfect. She'd always known exactly what he was from the start regardless of the fact that she never actually saw him kill until he brought her here so faulting him for that was out of the question. And now, Adah was finally feeling as though she could truly accept that dark side of him all the same...

After all, it's who he is.

She just wished Altaїr would at least honor her with a bit more credibility than he does and stop trailing behind her unseen with a protective eye and a needless concern that she might stray.

Her visits into town usually never lasted as long as she would have liked anyhow, kept purposely short enough to allow her to get what she wanted until Altaїr would emerge from the shadows like the walking symbol of death that he is to slip her back into his deadly embrace.

And it appeared that time was now.

"Ahhh… Good day to you, Altaїr." came Bashir's unsteady voice as he took a step back from the counters edge to put the necessary distance needed between himself and Adah.

"Bashir." Altaїr acknowledged his expression stale and hard from beneath his black hood while he and the merchant unnoticeably glared each other down for a moment of what could only be labeled as a struggle for dominance.

Finally backing down when Adah faced him, Bashir swept an extended hand above the items he placed on display for Adah to leaf through and queried to Altaїr, "Would you… like to browse my wares?"

Altaїr shook his head slowly, refusing to continue the conversation with the merchant for any longer than he had to and turned his attention back to the small girl digging through her white satchel for her coin purse that to her disappointment, appeared to be missing. She sighed.

"I am very sorry Bashir..." Adah huffed, her arms falling limp at her sides in frustration. "I will have to come back for this case another time... if you promise to hold it for me? It seems I have left my-"

Adah stopped and looked up when she heard the clinking of several gold coins placed rather heavily on the wooden countertop of Bashir's stand. Immediately her fingers scooped the heavy coins up and placed them back into Altaїr's hand.

"No, I will come back for it." she clarified again, turning around to Altaїr as her small hands curled around his larger one and formed it into a fist to seal the coins inside.

He looked down into those warm hazel orbs that always seemed to heat up his colder golden brown gaze without even trying. "That will not be necessary. You know I will take care of it."

"Not when I can just as easily return to retrieve it later with my own money." She reasoned by adding more emphasis at the end of her statement as she tried to hold onto the little bit of independence she had left.

"Do you want it or not? If you do, you can use the coin you have for the purchase of something else later... perhaps at a DIFFERENT stand." he added, his eyes narrowing at Bashir on the emphasis of the end of his words.

But God, she had to have it! It wasn't often to find a jewelry case in such excellent condition and the silver design of what looked like cherubs lining its edges made it a must have addition to add to her growing collection of items from countries that she will never get to see. Adah took another look at the jewelry case, her expression full of bewilderment as she weighed her options.

"Yes! Yes I do want it... so very, very much."

Placing the money back on the countertop for the merchant to retrieve, Altaїr handed her the box and watched her fingers glide over its casing to marvel at its beauty. "Excellent choice... Now, we must be on our way. There is still much to be done this day and time waits for none."

At the mention of how fast time could fly by, her eyes slowly glanced to her large, barely concealed stomach and sighed, "Tell me about it..."

Realizing what she meant, Altaїr paused and lifted his four-fingered left hand to her face to pass the roughened pad of his thumb along the soft skin of her cheekbone as a form of comfort. Right away her cheeks flamed in embarrassment towards his open display of affection in front of the passing townspeople. The gaping looks from the passerby's made her feel like she was being studied like some awkward piece of treasure, making her fidget. Looking around nervously, her eyes caught two older women in line behind Altaїr gossiping amongst each other as they looked on.

Balling her hands at her sides, she narrowed her gaze at them causing Altaїr to take a quick look behind him as well.

"Is there something you find amusing?" she called to the women angrily. "Or are you unable to find something better to do with your time than to stare at others?"

Eventually, one of the women had the gall to snort at her before looking away.

"Let them talk, Adah... They will continue to do it whether you agree with it or not." Altaїr commented in a low voice and tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear then stepped away. The warmth of his hand on her face was replaced by the bite of a gentle winter wind working its way through the crowded streets... Already he was almost halfway down the hill and out of the busy marketplace.

To not be left behind, she took a step forward only to stop in her tracks and turn back to Bashir with a small smile that lit up his face almost immediately now that he had her attention again.

"Until we meet again, Bashir... And remember to save your very best for me next time!"

"Don't I always?" the young merchant replied and bowed to her with a sly smile of his own.

The yearning in his grey eyes lingered for a moment as he watched her retreat after the tall assassin he was never a match for from the beginning before returning to his other impatiently growing customers. True enough Adah was indeed far beyond his reach and he knew it, nevertheless he couldn't help how he felt. Sure he might be playing the hand of death with that murderer around if he kept it up, but he couldn't keep lying to himself to believe it wasn't true.

Bashir eyed her attractive little figure garbed completely in white as it disappeared into the congested street to follow obediently behind the man in the black hood. She would never be his. But what was it about that cold blooded killer that was more appealing than someone like himself? He may never understand...

For now, he would just have to find other ways to satisfy himself... And the gratification he received from ruffling the feathers of that cocky assassin whenever he had the chance easily made all of his troubles worthwhile.

...

"Why do you not trust me, Altaїr?"

"I do trust you... it is _him_ I do not trust."

Adah groaned. "We have gone over this time and time again. How could you possibly think I might flee with Bashir? In case you haven't noticed, I am beginning to look as though the size of my stomach will swallow me whole!" Adah shouted at Altaїr's back to ensure he heard her over the cities noise. "This is ridiculous... I would never harbor any feelings of jealousy of my own."

The pitch of her voice made Altaїr turn and gauge the actual level of her frustration, his eyes taking in her flustered and increasingly reddening face as she continued to rage on. They had begun arguing ever since they left the stand when she questioned his attitude towards Bashir.

During the past few weeks, Adah had become quite the little hot head and did not take much to ignite her anger or frustration. A side effect of her condition was all could chalk it up to...

He reached into the small pouch at his waist and dropped several coins into the hands of a woman begging near the entrance to the residential area as he passed by. Crossing his arms, he came to a stop and leaned his back against one of the cobble stoned homes lined up along the street. His gaze slid from left to right from his black hood as he followed her pacing form while she vented a bit more. By this time he had learned the hard way that it was best to tip toe around the fire and let her get it all out before he jumped in the ring unarmed to try calming her down.

"Are you finished?" he asked when she finally stopped a moment to wind down.

Adah looked over at him with a puzzled expression as though he had just spoken in a language she had never heard before. "What?"

She stalked up to him, her shoulders squared, her mouth open to really give him a piece of her mind when it was interrupted with a small yelp of pain. "O-ow..."

Startled she put an unexpected end to her tirade, opened her warm wrap to the cold and looked down at her swollen stomach like it was a foreign object not of this earth. Altaїr pushed himself away from the wall and watched her begin to feel around her rounded belly rather curiously, the tips of her fingers poking and prodding in different places until she squealed again and snatched her hand completely away.

"Ah-Altaїr...? What is happening?" her voice now shaky and teetering on the edge of downright frightened. Before he could come close to figuring out what she was talking about, she quickly pushed her way through several passing people, ignoring their rude comments and slipped behind a nearby house with Altaїr following closely behind. Adah dropped onto a bench with a rather terrified expression as Altaїr knelt down in front of her to search for signs of pain.

"Is something the matter, Adah?" he questioned and looked up into her uncertain eyes filling with tears. His gauntleted hand began to massage the side of her stomach to help put her at ease.

"Why have you worked yourself up so?"

"Uh- I am not sure. I know I felt something. It was... strange. " she tried to explain, her fingers shaking as she stared down at her stomach in disbelief. "Somewhat painful also."

"I am certain it is too soon for you to give birth. Explain what it is you felt" he insisted as he tried to determine just how much time had actually passed them by.

"Well you may not believe me, but I swear I felt something-OW!" she jumped again, this time Altaїr's hand feeling the tiny thumping sensation against his palm as well. "-kicking me on the inside!"

Adah sat as still as possible and waited to hear what he had to say, praying it would not be something along the lines of "It was time."

He could tell she was afraid. Her body was trembling. In all honesty, he wasn't quite sure _what_ to tell her up to this point. His fingers gently pressed and squeezed her middle several times as his eyes searched her, finding absolutely nothing. Their two pairs of eyes then looked at each other with the same question lingering on their faces as if afraid to ask the other had they simply imagined it.

About to pull away his hands, they both suddenly felt the mysterious thumping spring to life once again. This time Altaїr followed it up and pushed the edge of his black hood behind his ear and pressed it to her belly just in time to hear and feel the muffled bumping occurring inside.

Finally dawning on him, Altaїr looked back up at Adah's worried expression and made a low chuckle.

"You can relax now... It appears that for a first, your excessive shouting has simply caused the child to stir and guessing by its reaction to you, I think it agrees with my side of the argument as well." he explained.

Her hazel orbs snapped back to Altaїr's face with a look of irritation at his statement for a moment until she closed her eyes and gave a much needed sigh of relief. "Thank god... I was so afraid my time had come. I-I am not ready to be a mother just yet, Altaїr... I need a little more time before I am due!"

"No, you must be prepared for what lies ahead of you because you can never know just how much time you will be granted..." Altaїr lectured, hooking his finger underneath her chin to look her in the eye and ensure she took in his words then stood to pull her up gently from the bench by her wrist. In wonder if his words held some truth to the child's retaliation to her shouting, she looked down at her stomach and silently questioned if it would always be so quick in the future to side against her.

"What am I going to do with the both of you?" she asked with a gentle smile, putting a hand on her waist and shaking her head at Altaїr who responded with what he does best, a raised eyebrow and half a smile.

Her smile was something he was being gifted with more and more often these days. After a moment he leaned closer and pressed his lips to hers, feeling the tension in her body rinse free. Inwardly she relished the time he took to explore the warm cavern of her mouth before slowly pulling away.

The crunch of his leather boots over the dry dead leaves and light snow when he walked towards the opening between the houses quickly melded in with the busy sounds of the city while her thoughts wandered off. This little incident had definitely been the scare of a lifetime. What if this _had_ been that terrifying moment when she would give birth? Adah lowered her eyes to her white cloth covered belly and pulled her thick wrap tightly around her once again to attempt concealing her torso.

Before stepping between the houses to head back to the street, Altaїr stopped and looked back after noticing the light steps of her boots were not close behind his own. Even from afar he could tell just by looking at her exactly what she was thinking and she looked more troubled than ever before... Eventually she looked back at him once he called her name and slowly made her way to his side.

"Try not to worry yourself, alright? You will do just fine."

He wasn't sure if the nod she made was an honest one or not so he grabbed her hand and pulled her closer against him. "Good because there is something I would like you to see... Down past the holy church of Sulaїman, but you might miss it if the hour of the sun is not exactly right."

Her eyebrows furrowed for a moment in curiosity until her eyes grew wide, her fingers twisting into the cloth covering his chest. "The waterfall near the river's edge... I have forgotten all about it!"

"Ahh, you do remember... It is a long walk, however. Do you feel up to it?" he asked, his attention flickering over her already excited form.

"I would love to. There are so many memories I have left behind there. I remember it being my favorite place to catch fireflies with you on the nights I could not sleep... right after Bushra's death." She reminisced softly. "To think I have lived here all these months and not once has it ever crossed my mind."

He looked up at the suns position in the sky to estimate the time and smiled. "In that case, we must move quickly towards the fortress lest we arrive too late."

On cue her face brightened up even more if it were possible. She grabbed Altaїr's hand and dragged him up the hill towards the castle so she could drop off her box and prepare. Upon reaching the fortress they both parted ways and Adah rushed directly towards the garden out back to search for her good friend and tell her the news.

"Sameera!" Adah called out as she slipped passed the line of guards, through the tall entranceway to the garden, and stepped outside to scan the grounds.

"You are awfully cheerful for someone who once loathed this place almost as much as I do."

Hesitant, Adah slowly turned to the owner of that spiteful voice she was growing more and more annoyed with each time their paths crossed.

"What are you rambling on about this time, Nadidah?" she countered to the tall woman sitting atop the iron railing of the steps with her legs crossed, carrying a very dignified air.

The uncomfortable run-ins between her and this woman were becoming far too frequent these days, each time worse than the last.

When she first met Nadidah, she was not quite sure of what to make of her. She had always kept her distance, staying mostly to herself when Adah would come for her daily visit with Sameera. However, what Adah failed to realize was that Nadidah's distance was not because she was the solitary type... Nadidah grew spiteful towards her for reasons of which she never understood and one day led them both to a rather ugly confrontation. It was clear at that point that they would never become friends. Nadidah's increasingly sour attitude towards her just would not allow it. She could be pushy, tactless, and very uncouth...

"Rambling, whining, complaining... Label it what you will, I merely call it the way I see it. You have always despised being here from the start so, why _are_ you still here?" Nadidah asked in a harsher tone than was necessary.

"Why do you care? You know absolutely nothing of what has transpired between Altaїr and I." Adah frowned, rolling her eyes.

"How could anyone not? Your stomach tells the entire world as we speak! It is sad that all you have done in the past was roam these halls sulking day in and day out, secretly wishing you were someplace else... It was written all over your face."

This time Adah remained quiet and stared her down. Since the day Altaїr brought her back to Masyaf, her hatred for this place had grown from bad to worse up until now.

"You know some of us would give anything to have your freedom. To be able to walk out of here whenever we like! I will never believe you are here because you want to... But more because you need to." Nadidah smiled smugly and jumped down from the railing to approach her, the white tail of her wrap playing behind her in a chilly gust.

Nadidah held her hands behind her back and tread slowly around the short young girl, Adah's hazel eyes following her movements very closely until she stopped directly behind her and giggled. "Hmph... looks like someone is putting on a little bit of weight."

Adah spun on her and grit her teeth to maintain her composure, one of her fists balling up at her side and the other clutching tightly to her jewelry box. "How dare you... No. I do not have time for your foolishness nor do I care what you think. Where is Sameera?"

"Honestly at the rate you are going, the Master will lose his interest in you..." Nadidah continued as she leaned against the fortress wall and curled her arms around her slim waist. "...which will in turn, give someone much more SUITED to the task a chance to take your place at his side."

Adah folded her arms and glared at Nadidah's statement. "And who might that be?"

"Obvious, is it not?" the conceited older woman smiled, the gold lining of her eyelids crinkling at the edges. "I think you are much too young for him. He needs someone that can take charge."

"Oh I have had just about enough of this! You must be going mad if you believe you... you have a chance at-," Adah paused, her expression now confused as her anger began to subside. "-at taking my place."

She lowered her eyes to the elaborate tile and tiny bits of ice making up the walkway around the garden. Why was she getting so bothered by the thought of no longer being here, no longer with Altaїr? Isn't that what she wanted...? But with someone like Nadidah around, the possibility of that dream could actually get dangerously close to becoming true...

And to Adah's surprise, that was not sitting right with her at all.

"Just admit it... you are undeserving of him." Nadidah spat disapprovingly to her and watched in amusement as the young girls anger returned, boiling voraciously underneath her bronze skin.

Nadidah watched in triumph as a very puzzled and at the same time enraged Adah suddenly stormed off to make her way along the icy pathway and continue her search for Sameera. Now if she could only get her chance alone with the Master, all of her planning would fall together and if she played it smart she would one day take Adah's place. She wanted to be free and no longer subject to the disgusting taste of this fortresses confinement on her tongue.

But, the Master was not an easy man to catch up with...

She suddenly whipped around and backed up in surprise when a dark shadow overcame her from the gated entrance to the garden, interrupting her from her problematic thoughts.

"My apologies if I have startled you, Nadidah... however I am looking for someone. Have you seen her pass this way?" Altaїr began, his perceptive gaze consuming her from the top of the steps.

Nadidah put on a meek smile and approached him slowly as she tried to contain her poise. This was going to be much, _much_ too easy...

...

Adah wandered irritably through the entry to the virgin's chamber finally understanding what Nadidah has been after all this time. She was not worth her time although her wicked and poisonous words seemed to keep playing over in her mind.

Would Altaїr really stop caring for her as her condition progressed? She shut the creaky wooden door behind her, pulled off her wrap and looked down at herself as if she were looking for the first time then sighed... Her stomach had blown up these last few months compared to the small bump she had long ago when she first learned she was with child. What happened to her slender frame? She began to wonder if Altaїr truly was finding her less attractive. A look of frustration smeared her face as she examined her middle a bit more.

Throwing her irritation to the wind, she walked inside the chamber and looked over the room. She always enjoyed coming here. The warm, vibrant colors of the rugs and pillows scattered over the floor made for a wonderful contrast compared to the rest of the fortress. The Houri looked up at her and quickly stood to bow respectfully, the jingling bangles of their ankles and wrists chiming noisily.

"Please, that is not necessary." Adah responded with an awkward smile, her hands shooting up in front of her to wave them down. "I am no one of that much significance."

"Do not be silly... Anyone of importance to the Master such as yourself is _more_ than deserving." came the response of one of the twin females seated in the corner on the floor while her exactly identical counterpart continued to run a silver brush through the firsts long, straight black hair.

Adah blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Have any of you seen Sameera? I have searched all over for her."

The twin using the brush giggled and pulled herself out from behind her sister then stalked up to a stack of cushions to the left of Adah's feet. She reached down and pulled away a plush violet pillow, revealing a dozing Sameera lying snuggly beneath it. "Shhh... we like to bury her underneath many pillows while she sleeps-"

"-So when she awakens in darkness she will think she has slept the entire day away by mistake!" finished the other twin as she also stood to take her spot next to her sister with a grin Adah swore was from ear to ear. She couldn't help but snigger at their mischief until the mention of nightfall reminded her of her meeting with Altaїr.

"Well I would love to stay and wait for to wake up, but I must get going. When she awakens, will you tell her I was looking for her?"

The twins both nodded at the same time, looking as if one of them were merely standing next to a mirror. Adah bowed and quickly made her way back through the door, sliding it quietly back into place. She darted around the corner to head into the garden towards Altaїr's quarters when she saw him out of the corner of her eye, but who she saw conversing with him stopped her completely in her tracks...

'_Nadidah!' _she raged in her mind as she tip toed back around the corner to peer beyond the edge. She was too far away to hear them though. _'I wonder what cruel web of deceit she is spinning this time.'_

And just as she asked it, her question was answered.

"You should worry less and not allow her to get to you the way that she does... Adah has always disliked it here, you know?" Nadidah sighed, averting her charcoal eyes to the ground in thought as she caught glimpse of Adah peeking around the corner to their right.

The hazel eyed young girl watched the older woman flash a conniving smirk her way then step uncomfortably close to Altaїr, those long sinewy fingers creeping up along his chest. Nadidah slowly moved closer and inched up on her toes as though trying to press her thin lips to his. Immediately Adah's heart sank like it was heavier than a sack of stolen gold a thief would hide at the bottom of a dark pond. She shrank back behind the brick wall before the nauseating path of Nadidah's mouth could get too close to his skin. Her blood rushed to her face with the heat of anger and betrayal as its fuel. The warmth of her tears ran cold from the winter air as they squeezed themselves free from the corners of her eyes.

'_And he does nothing to stop it! Yet he worries that I will stray...'_

Altaїr eyed her suspiciously and remained quiet. Nadidah's hand reached to feel the short stubble of his jaw, her lips slowly working their way to their destination as she spoke. "Anyway, I am sure you could use some much more... _appealing_ entertainment which I would be happy to provide."

Suddenly Nadidah tensed and she gasped, her seductive smirk wiped clean from her face when her wrist was grasped tightly in a strong gauntleted grip.

"What do you think you are doing?"

Right away she pressed herself up against him with a submissive posture and looked up into his handsomely, rugged face.

"Have I done something to displease you, my Master? I only seek to... help you relax and take your mind off your troubles." she responded and glanced in the direction of his chambers. She was determined. Anything not to lose her chance to be free, even if it meant giving herself to him to get it.

Altaїr grabbed her by the arms, pushing her back and away from his person. He looked her over and frowned when he noticed her plain charcoal eyes held an eerie coldness that was disturbingly like his own. "Your behavior is... very unbecoming of someone in your position."

"But I can offer you more than she ever could if you only give it a chance... I know it!" she said and wrenched her hands into his robe, her painted face becoming desperate. Holding his ground as his face went cold.

"Nadidah... I am very displeased with your behavior." He began in a stern reprimanded voice. He looked away from her, his gaze turning to the distance to set a much needed boundary. "It is very becoming of a member of the Houri and I am beginning to question your right's to remain as one..."

"Master, you do not underst-," she whimpered lowly, her tears building as her hopes were being burned into dust. Slowly she released his robes.

"Go to your quarters."

After a minute she averted her eyes to the ground, hiding the glaze of rejection and shame that fell over her face as he spoke as though he did not want to look at her.

"Then please excuse me..." she said, her voice shaking as she covered her mouth to hold in the sob. Her tightly wound curls bounced above her shoulders as she sped off towards the women's chamber, ignoring a defeated Adah still standing around the corner as she zipped past.

Altaїr watched Nadidah disappear, her behavior and suggestive display rattling about in his head. He would deal with her later. Removing her from his thoughts and focusing on where his Adah may be located, his golden brown gaze scanned the garden from front to back when a shuffling sound emerged from the corner Nadidah had just run to. His eyes narrowed under the sun's rays as he made out Adah's silhouette underneath the covered entrance where she was hiding. Half a smile spread over his lips. Without delay he headed straight for her. It was only about mid day which meant they would have plenty of time to still reach the river's waterfall.

Slowly the small woman in question stepped completely out from behind the corner into the warmth of the sunlight, washing the small smile away from his face and bringing him to a halt. Her distressed and tearful expression made his brow furrow, a look on her he had not seen for quite some time...

She shook her head at him and backed up the second he took a cautious step towards her.

"I saw you..." she choked with despair as she felt her already rampant emotions come together like a huge disgusting knot in her stomach only to explode and begin the tortuous process all over again. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and pooled together to drip off the edge of her chin. "I saw you with Nadidah."

He looked at her in confusion, his eyes finally widening a bit upon recognition of what she must have seen to make her react this way.

The horrific vision of him and Nadidah seemed to be burned onto her eyes, unavoidable even when they were open.

"I trusted you." she said in a small voice, her little fingers dropping her jewelry box to the cold hard ground. "How could you do that to me...?"

A sob escaped her, her eyes darting around the somewhat icy garden for a means to get passed him... Far away from the torment that was tearing at her insides.

"Wait, you must let me explain."

She saw him coming towards her again along the main walkway, his wide gait quickening with each step. But she didn't want to be anywhere near him.

Instead she ran around to the icy steps leading to the library before he could get close, her hands reaching out for the stone railing to avoid slipping on any thin sheets of ice.

Altaїr called her name several times with which she never responded. His leather boots skid over the slickness of the tile as one of her own slipped from beneath her, her hands thankfully holding onto the rail for leverage to help pull herself up.

Silently cursing himself that after all his training he was still not able to keep up with her even on ice, he figured she must not have stayed around to see the result of the ordeal earlier. The adrenaline rushed him on once he regained his footing and hurriedly pushed himself up from the cold ground.

He needed to get to her, needed to explain. And she was going to hurt herself out here if he did not calm her down.

Even after scraping her left calf on the steps as she slipped again, she didn't stop. She wouldn't stop until she reached the top of the steps to run directly out of the fortress and away from Altaїr. Having difficulty catching her breath, a hand shot to her swollen stomach as a sharp pain crept up her side from exertion. She tumbled to her hands and knees between the guards posted at either side of the library gate she'd fallen through.

From beneath their grey hood, they looked down at the mass of long ebony curls falling around her face as Nadidah's sickening words yet again crossed her mind.

The image of Nadidah leering up to Altaїr's face flashed before her eyes as she huffed to catch her breath. _'Unbelievable...'_

She felt weak and heavy as the hands of the two guards slipped under her arms to easily lift her to her feet like an empty burlap sack. They turned her about face and gently brushed her wobbling form right back through the gate towards their Master loyally. She saw Altaїr coming up the steps looking a little too winded from his own dance over the ice, even for him. There was a disappointed look on his face. He then began to clarify the true events that transpired in her absence. Her mind calculated as he spoke, piecing the puzzle together as to why Nadidah was having her own little fit when she ran passed her by and slammed the door to the Houri's chamber.

When he finished Adah stared up at his handsome profile, her watery eyes beginning to flood and before she knew it, she had practically flung her arms into the flaps of his thick red and black robe, mashing herself against his front. The moment the guards turned back to their post, he looked down in astonishment at her ebony head of hair while she quietly wept away in relief.

He would never forget the way she once told him she didn't care anymore. She even told him she would never love him again to try to hurt him the way he once hurt her...

But her actions today showed him that she felt something... even though she may not say it. And in her odd unspoken way, that was definitely telling him something.

...

To be continued... Please R&R!


	8. For Her

Guess whose back with another chapter to lead up to the conclusion of this odd little fic! I have been thinking of this story for quite some time and decided to put all other things aside and try to work towards completing it. I hope this chapter is an enjoyable one!

Disclaimer: I do not own Assassin's Creed.

The fire crackling in the soot covered chimney of Altaїr's quarters had now dwindled itself down to just a struggling flame. Clothed in only a pair of white shalwars, Altaїr lay stretched out on his side over the red rug in the middle of the room. He propped himself up on an elbow and frowned while pondering if things could get any worse. In frustration, his bloodshot eyes read over the scroll he'd received early this morning for the third time to be sure his eyes didn't deceive him.

Apparently killing Robert de Sable had not been as effective as he originally thought and turned out to be nothing more than a vain attempt at slicing his way to the truth hidden beneath the Piece of Eden's golden surface. Robert claimed there were ten including Al Mualim, who supposedly knew of the orbs existence, but after Jalil's interrogation, this was apparently only more of his lies. It would seem that after Robert failed miserably in taking matters into his own hands and trying to snatch the orb from Al Mualim, he took it upon himself to find another that could... And to make matters worse, none of the Bureau leaders had been able to decipher exactly who this man was from the piece of parchment confiscated from Jalil thanks to him purposely writing it in that strange language the ones across the sea called French.

It has been quite a while since the day Altaїr murdered Jalil and not once has anyone heard a whisper of when his elusive 'Master' would try to make a move until this scroll... But judging from the evidence Altaїr uncovered so far, this was a situation not to be taken lightly seeing as this man went as far as to infiltrate his fortress with a spy in order to collect information on the orb.

It was not the fact that the man was cunning enough to figure out a way to slip a spy underneath Altaїr's nose that angered him the most... It was the frustration of knowing Al Mualim knew what could happen should the orb fell into the wrong hands from the start and still he allowed his greed for power to overcome his reason.

Altaїr ran a hand through his short, messy brown hair and groaned...

When would the old man's actions stop haunting him from beyond his grave? He couldn't even count how many times he has dug through Al Mualim's mess of old memoirs since his death in hopes of finding answers only to come up from the rubble with absolutely nothing. The old man had been keeping secrets from him since day one of this troublesome disaster, but this was absurd. Of all his training and education of political affairs between the Crusaders and the Saracens would never have prepared him for madness such as this. For a moment, Altaїr began to question if he was being put on trial by a force unknown to see how he would fair against evil such as this.

He looked over at his discarded leather belt, dagger holsters, and hidden blade stacked neatly atop the wooden chest in the corner, untouched for months since Adah last put them there. It was times like these that he truly missed being able to travel at will to get the information he desired, coming and going whenever he pleased and stalking through city streets as he saw fit. Just a blade in the crowd... But after assuming Al Mualims' responsibilities within the Brotherhood, those days have long since passed him by...

A slight movement next to him caught Altaїr's carefully trained gaze, drawing it down to the tuft of ebony hair peeping out from under the white afghan lying quietly at his side. He had been watching her sleep out of the corner of his eye for the majority of the night, unable to sleep himself.

After pulling the cloth away from her soft face, he smoothed away a few stray strands of hair from her eyelids with the tip of a finger and watched the smooth plane of her brow crease the tiniest of bits. He shook his head at her when she suddenly mumbled something that sounded a lot like a list of her favorite fruits. Only someone with an appetite like hers would have strange visions of food in her sleep. He looked on in amusement as she began to restlessly tussle and turn about in her unconsciousness until she kicked her covering completely free. His eyes found themselves creeping south along the bronze skin of the cleft of her breasts peeking shyly from the top of her robe and couldn't help marveling at how her dark skin was such a stark contrast to his own. Adah then rolled back onto her side to face him.

After a moment, he forced his gaze lower to her round, swollen abdomen that he was thankful she was finally unable to hide any longer below her clothing as though she were ashamed of it. At this point the size of her stomach was so great that their situation was now well known throughout Masyaf despite her efforts to keep it hidden. So even if she tried, hiding it was practically meaningless.

And it could not have happened a moment sooner because he was ever grateful when her young merchant friend Bashir, in the shop district finally put an end to his irritating advances on her as well. He couldn't begin to describe how much his ego swelled the day the merchant discovered just how deep their relationship truly went. The look on his face was priceless.

Slowly, the features of Altaїr's face softened as they usually did while he gazed at her when there was no one else was looking. Over the past several weeks, Adah's fears were becoming more and more apparent to him. She knew the moment he had been waiting for so patiently all these long arduous months was drawing near and she would finally give birth. And she was terrified worse than any threat imaginable. She had also begun to express her anxiety towards the child being raised as an Assassin openly by pleading with him at any chance she got. Her behavior became so desperate that she, to his severe distaste, stormed out of the library in tears today during a briefing with his Bureau leaders to discuss this irritating scroll laced with threats.

After receiving the parchment this morning, his mind had been elsewhere for the majority of the day as he inadvertently began to tune out the conversation with his Bureau leaders. His attention kept drifting across the room to where Adah was playing with his messenger pigeon. The little bird would cause her to go into a fit of giggles when its wings fluttered about against her hair as it jumped from shoulder to shoulder. It had been a long time since he heard her laugh like that...

After a while she placed the bird back into its small cage and closed the door, heading in their direction to slip past and go down into the garden. But apparently one of the Rafiq noticed what gripped his attention so and asked if he would be ready to train the child as soon as it came of age and to his surprise, it seemed to set her off.

She immediately stormed up to them, upset and blurting to the Rafiq as she walked past that she wouldn't hesitate to depart and take her son with her if Altaїr was still intent on not allowing her to raise the child as she wished.

And her outburst made him furious. Not to mention the awkwardness he felt as both Rafiq's and worst of all Malik stared at him in disbelief after her outburst.

Already knowing how upset he would be with her, she decided to hide from him for the remainder of the day to avoid the stern reprimanding lectures she knew was waiting for her when she returned.

Once the briefing was over later that evening, he decided to wait in his quarters while trying to relax by the fire and think on what she had done.

To further frustrate him she didn't even slip into his quarters until just before nightfall tonight wearing a meek expression in her hazel eyes as she tried to creep behind him in hopes of slipping away. But of course he heard her and when he called her to him, she immediately crawled down behind him and pressed her lips to his bare shoulders as a silent apology.

As soon as she was assured he was calm, Adah then told him she was only trying to get his attention in making him understand her reasoning behind it. That she couldn't bear the possibility of one day receiving a letter that her son was killed in some distant city while away on assignment...

But as much as he hated to hurt her, he was forced to remind her that there was no hiding the fact that it is the vicious blood of an Assassin that will always flow through their son's veins and he would be raised to fight for what he thought was right.

Altaїr heaved a low sigh, listening to it bounce off the walls of the all too quiet fortress that used to be so filled with commotion when suddenly for the strangest reason, his encounter with King Richard in Arsuf over a year ago suddenly drifted through his mind...

+++Flashback+++

"_We come into this world, kicking and screaming, violent and unstable. It is what we are." Richard argued, the tiresome effects of war more than present in his green, insightful eyes. _

"_No... We are who we choose to be." Altaїr countered._

"_Heh... Your kind, always playing with words. But I only speak the truth in that we cannot change what is in our nature."_

+++End Flashback+++

His half lidded eyes glanced at the serene expression on Adah's sleeping face then back to her large, bulging belly that made her wobble awkwardly when she walked.

'_We cannot truly be who we choose to be if we have never been given the choice...Can we?' _he thought to himself...

Should he put his own selfishness aside and allow her to have her way by choosing the child's fate if born male? It was so uncustomary of a member of the Brotherhood to not raise their son's as Assassin's. Yet if he ignored Adah's request, all his efforts to draw her willingly back into his arms all this time would definitely have been for naught.

Feeling a heavy weight on his shoulders, Altaїr let loose another quiet sigh and reached out to slide his palm gently down the round, firm curve of her belly. But it was not the time to worry about it now. He knew Jalil's master was most likely lurking somewhere beyond the Assassin's territory and may strike at any moment, foolishly demanding the Piece of Eden just like all the others had done before they too were slain... Except none of them were bold enough to try using a spy to do it, which meant to Altaїr that bringing this man to his knees and killing him before the entire fortress was a disgraceful death he would very well deserve.

It wasn't just the thrill of killing the man who dared to challenge him that drove him on, it was the fact that the orb could very well destroy the entire existence of his Brotherhood if it fell into this man's hands. Not to mention the dangers involved during the attack held a high risk of possibly losing Adah in the chaos.

And he knew losing her... would very well _destroy_ him.

She was his only weakness.

She was the warmth around his soul that would continue to stave off the cold and unmerciful side of him that he was trained to be. She gave him a purpose that meant more to him than just being a strong leader. She was his now, constantly depending on him for his protection and he was inclined to provide it, as it was his pride and duty to do so.

His golden brown eyes finally left her face, becoming cold and hard once again as he stared at the scroll from Jalil's Master in his hand, knowing he had made up his mind.

He would have to send her away...

Adah shifted after he removed his hand from her belly, turning onto her back at first before tossing her head from side to side as her discomfort during sleep gradually began to increase. Altaїr wrapped his forearm beneath her breasts and pulled her small form to him, nuzzling his face to hers. The fingers of his right hand ran through her hair and his thumb passed several times over her cheek. She stirred for a minute before instinctively burrowing into his bare chest and successfully shaking away the remnants of her dream.

Pressing his face into her neck, he closed his eyes and stole a chance to inhale the soft earthen scent of her skin that he adored.

As soon as he felt her relax, he very carefully began to untangle himself from her. He pressed his lips softly to her forehead while she slept then rose to his feet and pulled his white long sleeve tunic from the floor and back on. He stepped around her quietly, ignoring the parchments he'd read over before he became annoyed all over again with the news they held.

If this man desired to storm his fortress and attempt to take the orb, then let him come...

Altaїr slipped on his boots then made his way to the door and popped the latch, stopping only to steal a quick glance back to Adah's sleeping form before sliding out the door. He glanced up at the moon above once he reached the garden, realizing there wasn't much nightfall remaining as he made his way to the fortress library, but he was thankful Malik stayed behind earlier as he asked.

If he moved quickly, there would be enough time to arrange for Adah to leave the city.

...

With a gasp, Adah sat upright and looked around the dimly lit room, her eyes automatically darting to her side to find Altaїr's usually occupied space next to her surprisingly empty. She ran a hand through her hair to pull the long curly locks out of her eyes and heaved a sigh. The fire continued to burn and it was clearly still nightfall out... where could he be?

"Altaїr?" she called out, her hazel eyes looking about as she listened for a response. Receiving none, she looked down at the papers strewn at her side, her eyes glancing over them for a second before looking away.

She usually avoided reading anything that concerned the matters of the Assassin's, but for some reason, she couldn't stop her eyes from sneaking another peek at the strangely written Arabic characters scrawled across the pages.

It was clearly not Altaїr's handwriting which helped her feel more at ease over her prying. She picked them up and read them over quickly, her eyes widening as she scanned it and gasped before dropping them completely. Quickly she rose up from the floor with an unsteady wobble, almost slipping on the papers she'd just dropped.

...They were coming for the orb...

She slipped on her sandals while tossing her white robe to the floor just to slip a red dress over her, pulling at it impatiently over her belly then darted for the door in haste to find Altaїr. She had so many questions and needed to know what was happening and what he planned to do. Picking up the pace, Adah trampled through the dark garden, making her way to the library and inside towards the sound of his voice echoing along the walls.

She huffed in frustration and slight panic, already out of breath as she climbed up the stairwell and past the dusty bookcases towards the balcony. It wasn't as much her eagerness to find out what was happening that pushed her forward but more out of fear and she knew being near Altaїr was the safest place to be. Her pace slowed as she crested the top of the steps only to stop and dart into the murky shadow of a stone pillar when the sound of a quick and heated argument caught her ears.

"...that matters not, do as you are told and nothing else. Adah is to leave within the hour and no later. I want her out of the city as quickly as possible and do NOT lead her along the main route to Jerusalem. Are we clear?"

Jerusalem? The city she longed to revisit since Altaїr first brought her back to Masyaf... She peeped a bit further around the pillar and saw to her surprise a puzzled Malik nodding reluctantly to his given orders. He was still clad in his black robes from earlier. What was he doing still in Masyaf? Their meeting had ended hours ago. She saw his dark brown eyes lower to his missing arm.

"Altaїr, I am sure one of your men is more than capable to attend to her on this trip... Why have you chosen me?" Malik finally questioned, his eyes still on the empty folded sleeve where his arm had once been until the incident in Soloman's temple. Reaching up, he then covered it with his hand.

"I have thought over this since receiving that scroll today and the decision has been made. You have been chosen Malik... " Altaїr paused, looking over the balcony of the library for a moment for any signs of a passerby then continued.

"...because I would trust no other with her life."

Malik cleared his throat and let the stub of his arm go. He slowly walked over to lean back against the dusty desk behind him and looked up at Altaїr with half a smirk.

"Who could have guessed that the loner Altaїr would ever fall so heavily for a girl? You do realize that if ill fate were to befall us on this trip... I am about as helpless as her, my friend."

Altaїr nodded with a smirk of his own. "I am aware, in fact I am afraid you would be even _less_ capable of protecting her but it is not your strength I am entrusting her to, it is your wits."

Slowly Adah emerged from the shadows and walked up to Altaїr quietly, her sandals scuffling over the floor. "Altaїr...?"

They both turned to her, Altaїr's tired eyes finding her own as the smirk fell from his face. Her mind was a scramble of questions that she needed answers to, the main one asking over and over of why would he desire to send her away? Was she not safer here with him?

"You are sending me away?" she asked, her hazel eyes darting back and forth between the two men.

Altaїr searched her face for a long moment while choosing his words carefully so as not to upset her. "You must prepare yourself for departure-"

"Where are we going? We can't leave!" she interrupted hastily and closed the space between her and him. She didn't want to openly say she read the scroll earlier, but she knew leaving now would be the worst mistake to top off all the terrible mistakes she's ever made.

"I will not be with you and it is not a choice. I have ordered Malik to escort you away from the fortress. You will accompany him in the Bureau of Jerusalem where it is safe-"

"But I do not think this is a good idea..." she interrupted again, her uneasiness lurching to a new height. How could he possibly suggest sending her away now?

"This must be done. You are only wasting time by arguing with me, just do as you are told."

"No, I cannot go now... Altaїr, please!" she pleaded with glassy eyes as if about to cry, her fingers curling tightly into his tunic as she searched his face desperately for understanding.

Altaїr frowned and grabbed her wrists. He averted his eyes from her tearful gaze and pulled her hands free from his clothing. "I believe it is too dangerous for you to remain within the city walls... Now retrieve your things."

Adah looked over to Malik for assistance, but he simply shook his head and shrugged. This was a decision he had been unable to get out of himself, nonetheless attempt to free her from as well. Her mind churned, searching for something to pull out of her sleeve, anything she didn't care what it was as long as it could change Altaїr's mind.

But she was turned around and nudged back to the stairwell. Defeated she lowered her head and took a step down as she thought over being trapped in a distant city, far away from anything she's come to know... Not to mention, so far away from Altaїr but a question suddenly came to her like the last hope of someone about to lose it all...

"And what if I give birth early?" she suddenly shouted at Altaїr's back in despair. "I cannot do this on my own..."

She watched him stiffen, his steps towards Malik halting while he processed her words. He just stood there a moment then looked back. He spoke over his shoulder to save himself the guilt of staring into her sad eyes.

From the steps Adah stood still, studying his profile long and hard in fear that she would not see it again for quite some time.

He would give anything to be there when the time arose, to see his first born who may or may not take his place as the Master of the Assassin's one day when he is dead and gone... But if he allowed her to stay when the entire city is attacked for the orb, then that day may never come...

"I have made preparations for your care in Jerusalem with Malik. He is a good man and will assure all goes well..." Altaїr responded eventually in a regretful tone.

And as he suspected, her sobs echoed as he watched her take off and storm back to his quarters, the iron gate to the garden slamming loudly behind her from the anger taken out on it. And this time he could not fault her for it at all because he knew that hard slam was directed at him and was her anger well deserved.

Adah pushed against the wooden door of Altaїr's quarters harder than she thought and fell to her hands and knees in frustration as tears cascaded down her cheeks. She didn't care. She felt them splatter over her hands to mix with the tiny bits of sand collected before Altaїr's door.

'_How could he let me go so easily?'_

Sure she threatened to vanish before if he didn't let her have her way, but she did not think he would give in so quickly!

He would not even hear her out and instead insisted that it was too dangerous for her to stay here... She's ALWAYS been here! Her nails dug into her palms as the wound of his decision ran its inevitable course, thinking of how quickly he could return to his old demanding, overconfident, and self-centered ways. She continued to weep as she fell back onto her haunches and buried her small face into her hands. For a moment her mind raced with the memories of the tall, dark haired Assassin that at one time, never left her side. He was the same man who stood by her when there was no one else left to pick up the broken pieces of her life. The same man who whispered he loved her no matter how many times she never said it back when she truly should have...

And now that same man was sending her away when she needed him most with hardly a passing glance.

She looked up and only when she saw that letter again from that wretched man and his threat to raid the fortress for the orb lying on the floor, did it dawn on her that her anger was actually pointed in the wrong direction. After a while, she wiped at the tears and forced herself to calm down. She pushed her heavy form up from the floor and crept over to the letter, feeling her anger reignite. Altaїr wasn't sending her away because he wanted to; he was doing it because he _had_ to by doing what he has always done... And that's to protect her.

Before she knew it, she reached down and snatched up the scroll, angrily tearing it into small pieces then threw them into the dying fire in the chimney. Her hazel eyes looked on as the flames ate their way along the little bits of writhing paper and devoured the troubling words written so carelessly in red ink.

Her life with Altaїr was to take an entirely new turn that she must be ready to travel down the moment this child is born. Yet if she didn't follow his orders and she were harmed during the attack, then it would be a change she may never get to see. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she slowly looked around the room to locate the items best suited for the trip as he had requested.

...

"How much longer must we wait? Sunrise will be upon us soon and we have yet to leave the castle grounds." Malik argued to Altaїr who sat atop the railing of the balcony.

Altaїr looked up at the moon through the stained glass window overlooking the garden and frowned... Malik was right. Quite some time had passed and STILL, she had not returned. He jumped down motioning for Malik to head out to the stable with a waving hand and took off in her direction with irritation. Why couldn't she just do as he'd asked and stopped resisting?

Reaching the door to his quarters in no time, he pushed it open roughly with irritation to find Adah was seated right in the middle of the room on the floor with a neatly tied bundle of items next to her. Her eyes were glued to her overly bulging stomach as she absentmindedly circled her protruding belly button with a finger. She looked up at Altaїr as he walked up to her, her face a mask of nothingness and her eyes slightly puffy from her previous tears.

Grabbing her arm, he helped her up from the floor and grabbed her things. He took a minute to look her over to determine her unreadable mood until he finally gave up and just motioned for the door. He wasn't in the mood for more of her defiance, time was running out...

To his surprised, she did not budge however. He looked down to her and sighed. Of course she wasn't going to make this easy...

"Adah-" he began.

But he never got to finish. His eyes grew large when she grabbed the front of his tunic and felt the soft, gentle press of her lips melding with his in a warm but heady kiss. Instinctively he followed her bold lead and allowed himself to be lured in when her tongue slipped innocetly passed his lips. He felt his skin come to life with goose bumps as her fingers slid up past his chest and neck to drag her nails through his short hair.

After what seemed a moment lost before Altaїr knew it was to begin, Adah slowly pulled away, leaving him bereft with the lasting touch of a brief suckle on his bottom lip. As soon as he opened his eyes, she grabbed his hand and placed it on her rounded belly.

"I do not know what fate is to befall me once I depart, but I want you to remember..." she paused as she looked down at her stomach and covered his hand with her own, "...that even though I could not say it, we do love you."

And for the first time since she could remember, Adah saw Altaїr's face soften with true a smile... This one, she knew was genuine because unlike the other small smirks he usually wore, there was no malice in his eyes like she saw whenever he killed.

She couldn't help but smile back softly and nuzzle her face to his when he engulfed her in his arms, almost lifting her up from the floor.

"Promise you won't forget about us?" she asked once he finally let her go and she reached into her bundle of items and handed him his white robe.

Altaїr looked into her hazel eyes and smiled again.

"Never."

...

The cold streets of Masyaf were quiet as they normally were this time of morning. Wobbling quietly behind Altaїr, Adah stayed close at his heels as he led her by the hand down through the city towards the stable near the gates where Malik prepared his horse. She noted that even though he should be in a rush he in fact took his time, walking much slower than even his normal pace. And she knew why even though he did not say it.

He was stalling in an attempt to savor the little bit of time they had left to enjoy each other's presence. Only she wished she realized it sooner instead of being selfish earlier and throwing that time away with her unnecessary sulking. Adah sighed to herself, her eyes quickly becoming watery when Altaїr finally stopped, signaling it was time to say goodbye...

Pressing herself against his back, she clung to the back of Altaїr's robe and rested her head against his shoulder blade. The deep sound of Altaїr's voice restating his orders to Malik rumbled through his chest and into her ear but at the same time, it was if she didn't even hear them. Her mind was too busy trying to remember all the little things about this city that in the past, despite her sadness and selfishness had brought her joy... She looked up beyond the torches around the tall wooden gate and into the night sky that was beginning to brighten with the start of a new dawn and a new day where she would be forced to leave Altaїr behind.

"I thought you brought her with you, Altaїr... Daybreak will soon be upon us!" Malik urged, eager to get the long travel underway.

He looked on as Altaїr glanced behind him before stepping completely to the side, revealing the small and very pregnant young girl previously hidden from his view. Malik studied her more closely now that she was in more light, doubt churning through him as he ran a hand through his short brown hair.

"I must say, I do not think this a wise decision. Adah is... very far along. And travel will be quite hard for her."

Adah gripped her red bundle of items and began to fidget as the two men studied her, the eyes of the guards posted on either side of the gate also looking at her curiously from underneath their grey hoods. She felt her cheeks burn and averted her gaze to her sandaled feet.

"I am very much aware of her condition..." Altaїr confirmed and brushed a stray ebony curl behind her ear.

"Still stubborn as always..." Malik sighed shaking his head as he mounted the tall black and white steed at his side that suddenly began to stamp its hooves, kicking up dirt once it was guided to the gates opening.

Adah warily took several steps back from the suddenly spooked horse rearing up on its hind legs and persistently backing away from the entrance. She watched as Malik tugged at the reigns in surprise to regain control but had no effect until several of the guards ran up to assist.

Something was wrong. She watched as one of the remaining guards stepped away from his post to quickly survey the dusty path beyond the gate, peering out into the darkness in an attempt to determine what had frightened the horse. Without hesitation she turned to Altaїr still standing next to her and grabbed his arm, afraid to turn her eyes away from the dark trail the guard was looking down as if the darkness would reach out and snatch him into the abyss.

"Altaїr...?" she mumbled, her hands tugging on his arm, her eyes still stuck to the path. She had to get away from the gate...

When he didn't respond, too caught up in what was going on in front of him with the out of control horse, she tugged again, this time harder than the last. Then she saw it. A plain white arrow sprang forth from that same inky darkness to pierce the guards' chest as he curiously looked out into the night.

She screamed.

The impaled guard stumbled backwards and fell at their feet, dead before his body could hit the ground as the front of his grey robe flooded with blood. Instantly adapting to the situation, Altaїr reached down and snatched up the scimitar from the body's waist. Malik jumped down from the horse, watching with wide eyes as several more arrows rained down from above, striking the dead guard and barely missing his own feet.

Suddenly Adah's view was blocked as Altaїr stepped in front of her, swinging the blade with sharp precision and successfully averting two more arrows. She heard the shouts of men bouncing off the rocky cliffs from the dark path leading into the city, causing the guards surrounding them to shout "ATTACK!" and the loud bell of the fortress watch tower begin to ring. Panicking, Adah screamed again the moment she looked around Altaїr and saw several heavily armored men clad in dark red and gold charge through the fortress gates.

Altaїr turned and pushed Adah away from him, his golden brown eyes meeting her hazel ones. He shouted for her to flee and turned back to halt the path of a long sword aimed at his chest with his blade. Her stress filled eyes blinked when he turned back to her and shouted again as he pushed back against the weight of the blade. Several Assassins' tore past them and into the dark trail outside the city. The brutish cracking of broken armor and the clang of swords against swords rang out in the distance, but all she could hear was her own mind shrieking the same chant, _'Run away! Run away! Run away!'_

Finally she took off. Where she was headed, she didn't quite know but thankfully her aching legs raced in frenzy towards the safety of the fortress. She saw several townspeople open their doors for a moment before slamming it shut in fear. Once she reached the top of the hill she looked down over Masyaf in horror as she struggled to catch her breath, watching what looked like a small sea of men in red clashing with a barrier of Assassin's in grey.

An arrow whirred by her ear and she screamed, looking back in time to see a large burly man armored in red with odd blonde hair heading in her direction. They were moving faster than she anticipated into the city. She clutched her bulging stomach as a sharp pain unexpectedly coursed up her side. She took off again, her eyes wide with fright, her lungs raping the air of oxygen as she wobbled as fast as her legs could carry her up the final path to flee from the chaotic battle going on in the city below. Another sharp pain, stronger than the last ripped upwards between her hips and she cried out, collapsing to her hands and knees. Not allowing her a chance to recover, she felt a sudden twinge in her lower belly as a burst of fluid poured down her burning legs leaving them slimy and wet.

The clanking of heavy armor and anguished cries of men in pain could be heard nearby. Tossing her long ebony curls out of her face, Adah sat up and looked down at her red dress in confusion mixed with terror at finding the crotch of the cloth soaked completely through. She knew she was terrified but she couldn't have wet herself, could she? Her fingers swiped at the slippery water covering her thighs to examine it and her eyes bulged in shock.

"Please..." she cringed in pain from the onset of labor, "Not now!"

Fighting the urge to curl into her belly to soothe the pain, Adah lay before the gates of the fortress, frightened and alone.

...

To be continued and thanks for reading!

The Rusty Peach


	9. For Him

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Assassin's Creed.

Beware contains violence and death.

Another update has arrived! And for even more news, the final chapter is already in the works. That's right, we're almost to the finale. Will this chapter end in another cliffhanger? You'll just have to read and find out. *Evil cackle*Altaїr and Adah have been through so much in these past chapters so I hope with the ending that is soon to come, it will be one that's well enjoyed.

...

An orchestra of pain and death chimed out into the cold, crisp night air above the city of Masyaf now set ablaze from fallen torches throughout the city. The flames seemed to roar with life from the dry, withered hay bales scattered about, illuminating the city and exposing the remains of blood and gore from a battle no longer hidden by the darkness of night.

In a wet, crumpled heap before the wrought iron fortress gates, Adah lay on her side writhing with each flare of pain threatening to tear her lower abdomen in two. Her fingers dug into the soft earth beneath her as she waited for the blinding pain to subside. This was not how she envisioned giving birth would be! Her breathing slowed as the last surge of pain crested its peak, finally allowing her scrambled mind time to try remembering Muntasir's words of what to expect when the time came. But to her frustration and lack of better judgment to pay more attention to his words, she could not remember much of it and silently cursed herself for not visiting the old healer more often.

Slowly she curled her legs beneath her and sat up, brushing the tangle of ebony locks out of her eyes, the expression of anguish and pain plastered across her features.

Where could she go? Was there a safe enough haven to allow her time to even bear this child? And more importantly, what was happening to Altaїr? Was he even still _alive_?

Her mind seemed to be running in circles around her own thoughts as chills of cold, sweat and fear crept up her arms and neck. Child birth was becoming more and more like nothing of what little had been explained to her... Finally the bothersome pain subsided completely and Adah let out a heavy breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her teary vision, blurred and unfocused, looked up at the large iron gates of the Assassin's fortress when the stomp of heavy footsteps from the path behind her drew her wild eyes to them. She moved to stand but paused and took another look half hoping it would be anyone other than the enemy...

A tall, shadowy figure emerged from the darkness. Faster the figure moved up the dark dusty path behind her, too fast for her tired legs to react until the owner of the steps eventually emerged. Adah's eyes narrowed to see the figure more clearly only to have them widen twice their size. The light flutter of hope in her chest burst into dead weight as a tall man armored in deep crimson and gold stepped into the light, revealing uncommonly pale skin, long fair hair and frighteningly bright blue eyes.

Hesitantly, she scooted backwards as this strange man approached, the rapid pattern of her breathing signaling the beginnings of a panic attack the moment her eyes caught a bounce off the long broadsword held tightly in his left hand. The closer he moved, the higher the blade seemed to rise.

She shook herself free of the darkness emanating from behind the blue of his eyes and choked out, "Wait, please..." Her hands rising as fresh tears streamed from her hazel eyes. "I am with child, there is no need to hurt me!"

And to her surprise, he stopped. His blue eyes shone down into hers as he stared directly in her face with a veil of emptiness masking his thoughts. She looked cautiously back and forth between the haunting void like expression in his eyes and the long broadsword held above her head, unsure which of the two were actually worse. She swallowed hard as her heart continued to pound in her throat.

"You do not have to do this..." she then whimpered quietly near his boots and recoiled against the brick of the walkway.

After a short pause, the man before her chuckled and flashed an unsettling grin before turning to speak behind him in a language she did not understand.

"Why must they always plea in vain before they are to die? It is with more dignity to accept your fate."

Adah watched in horror as three more men garbed in a similar fashion emerged from the dark pathway their leader had just appeared from.

"We do not have time for these ridiculous games of yours, Sébastien... Just kill her and end this charade so we may take what we came here for and return to the docks of the mainland as quickly as possible!" stated a shorter, thinner man from behind his tall oddly shaped iron helm.

"What can I say?" the first man with blonde hair stated and smiled as he glanced back at her again with a malicious grin, the tip of his blade easing beneath her chin to raise her gaze to his. "I enjoy watching them suffer..."

After a moment, the blade gradually dropped from her neck just as the sadistic smile faded from his face.

"Yet destroying this little one seems... " Sébastien paused again in a low voice, watching her recoil as the cold blade slipped lower over her breasts. "...a waste of such alluring young flesh."

"I've had enough of this! We are not here for _slaves_, we are here to follow orders and retrieve the Piece of Eden for the captain! If you refuse to follow suit then step aside!" shouted the shorter man from behind his helm, pushing Sébastien aside and drawing his own blade as he approached Adah.

Sébastien moved in front of him, turning his back on Adah at his feet. "I believe trading her back home will earn us a much greater profit! Besides, I did not travel all this way just to return home empty handed."

Adah watched in terror as the two men continued to argue amongst one other, the strange men behind them glaring impatiently in silence. She snuck another quick glance back at the path beyond the gate, not daring to take her eyes off the suspicious men for too long. Quietly she inched backwards and away from them until she heard one shout out her slowly progressing escape. Adah shrieked. Jolting up from the ground with burst of energy she was unawares she had, she took off through the iron gates, blared past the training yard, and tore into the library. As a fresh swell of pain became stronger as she moved, Adah grabbed onto the nearest bookshelf to hold herself up. Refusing to look behind her, she cried out from the throbbing and teetered along the bookends to steady her tracks to the garden at the back of the library, her other hand clutching tightly below her swollen belly to ease the ache.

The pain was so strong, almost crippling! But she refused to spare the time. In haste she trampled through the empty library, her eyes instinctively looking up at the balcony for Altaїr, almost praying he would emerge from between the bookshelves to protect her even though she knew he would not.

Adah whipped around to the thin gated door she'd just run into when the sounds of clanking armor echoed with the wind. She held a hand over her mouth to quiet her gasping breath. Gathering her nerve, she wobbled up the steps to the garden entrance and pushed through the rickety gate with only one destination in mind...

The Houri's chamber.

Before she knew it she had pushed through the women's door around the corner and slammed it shut, quickly dropping the wooden crossbar down into place to lock it shut. Adah's hands clasped together and a silent prayer slipped past her lips as she backed away from the door in hope that the bar would hold should it be discovered.

Suddenly the weight of a hand fell on her right shoulder as another came around to clasp over her mouth to muffle the squeal.

"Do not scream..." whispered a soft feminine voice behind her ear. Adah nodded slowly and turned around as feelings of relief washed through her already frazzled nerves the second she locked eyes with Sameera.

"We are all so worried! You must tell us, what is happening out there? Are you alright?" Sameera questioned as she looked into Adah's fear stricken eyes then down at the large wet stain drenching the red cloth covering Adah's thighs.

Slowly Adah looked around the room at the familiar painted faces of the virgin women huddled together as they stared back at her from the corner of the room in fear. Suddenly she grabbed her stomach and cried out, leaning against the wall before slumping completely to her knees in pain. Sameera jolted down to her side and locked hands with one of Adah's in a tight grip.

"Adah... I fear you are about to give birth, aren't you?" Sameera asked timidly and glimpsed back to the other women with a worried expression after Adah managed to respond with a small nod. Sameera sighed, the uncertainty and hopelessness evident on her soft face. She looked down with wide eyes at Adah's shaking fist in her hand as her friend tried to cope with what looked like an unbearable pain. Quickly she took off her thin white scarf and wrapped it around Adah's shaking shoulders and held her tight to try and ease the torture she was trapped in.

"I-I do not know what to do..." Sameera finally admitted to break the silence.

After a long moment, Adah let out a heavy breath of her own and leaned forward against the woman before her for any kind of comfort she could get.

"Sameera, I'm so afraid! Outside... They dress in a way I have never seen, they are intent on searching for the Piece of Eden!" Adah cried in distress, gasping as her emotions overwhelmed her from the previous events just minutes before.

"Who are 'they'?" Sameera asked as the nightmare began to envelope her too. Adah looked up through her watery filled eyes and shook her head, wincing from another small tremor of pain winding its way down her hips. "I do not know, but promise me..." she said as she looked into Sameera's dark brown eyes glimmering with a small shimmer of light that resembled hope. "Promise me you will not leave me!"

Sameera's grip tightened on Adah's hand then placed her other on top of it and smiled with a small nod. Unfortunately the comforting moment between them did not last long however, when a loud crash and splinters of broken wood from the door crashed into the room from the kick of a heavily armored boot. Adah shrieked and darted directly to the farthest corner of the room with Sameera close at her heels in fright. They huddled together as the other women scattered about, screaming in terror.

Adah felt her heart drop to her feet when the room quickly filled with the men she prayed she'd left behind. Their armor clanked noisily as they rushed the room, several of them grabbing up the women roughly as they tried to flee and shoved them down to the floor near the door. Sameera and Adah watched together from their seated position in the corner as the same tall burly man with oddly blonde hair stepped into the room and surveyed the scene. His blue eyes stopped directly on her.

"Men! Line them up near the door... They will indeed sell for a hefty price!" Sébastien called out.

Adah stared up in surprise when she heard his words clearly spoken this time in her own language. Sameera crawled in front of Adah and spread her arms out to either side to shield Adah from his view as he approached. The man trekked forward and reached down to snatch Sameera from the corner by her arms, her bare feet kicking out from under her long white dress as she was dragged over the broken pieces of wood now littering the exit and towards the door. Wide hazel eyes remained glued to Sameera as she fought against the monster towering over her.

"Please no... We are mere virgins. We are sacred to the Brotherhood and would make poor slaves! We have never worked a day in our lives!" Sameera cried out as she stared this blue eyed man in face.

The man glanced over at Adah's trembling form in the corner then back to Sameera. "Virgin? So I must look like a fool to you."

"But it is the _truth, _I swear to you!" Sameera beseeched then tugged angrily to get away from his grip bruising both her upper arms from the rough, cold chainmail covering his hands.

"Then what do you have to say about her?" he then snarled in her face, gesturing to the pregnant Adah wedged in the corner across from them, his eyes observing her changed physique. She said nothing until he called out for the other men to seize her young friend as well.

"NO! Do not touch her, _please_! She is not one of us!" Sameera shouted. His grip did not lessen and she spit in his face, her eyes then widening with fear at what she had just done.

"Spoiled wench, you _dare_ to disgrace me? But why am I surprised? The barbaric Assassin's of this city are all you have to learn from!"

He let loose a spiteful chuckle under his breath. "Well, where are they now? If you truly believe they will be able to save you once our Captain has seized the device from your Master then you underestimate the power it possesses."

Sameera glowered at him, thrashing about in his grip to be released.

"The Holy Land will fall under the command of our Captain and your will shall no longer be your own once the orbs influence has taken control of your minds." Sébastien continued with annoyance. "This little city and its pathetic self righteous rebellion will be burned to the ground by day break."

"You cannot force the people to succumb to your belief's..." Sameera disagreed in a hard voice.

"Ahhh but we can and the Piece of Eden gives us that right to do so. Unfortunately none of you will be here to witness that glorious moment when our Captain uses the device to overthrow King Richard and his belief in Christianity. So resist as you may but all of you will be returning with us to be sold to the highest bidder who, rest assured, will teach you to silence that loose tongue of yours..."

Sameera cringed when he dragged her up against him by a strong arm around her waist, the cold iron of his crimson armor rubbing harshly into her side.

Burying his nose into her neck as he pressed her tighter against him, he inhaled her scent and his fingers skimmed down to the cleft of her breasts. "Or I may just keep you for myself..."

"You _disgust_ me... Release me now you _BEAST_!" raged Sameera loudly, her chestnut locks falling from her bun as she kicked violently against the dark armor covering his legs in vain.

Furious with her disobedience, his hand reared back and struck her hard against her cheek. The remaining Houri pooled together in silence on the floor at the door as the fiery woman raged on.

"I would rather let my soul ROT than be forced to serve the likes of you!" she snapped after a quick recovery.

Unable to stop herself, Sameera dragged her nails quickly down the right side of her attackers face, making sure to scratch his eye along her path. He reared back and cried out in alarm, still refusing to let her go. Fueled on instinct, Sameera reached down and pulled the small curved dagger from the strap at his thigh and raised it against him. His men behind him moved to grab the swords at their waist but stopped when their leader grabbed her wrist and twisted it tightly, the soft crushing sound of several bones permeating the air until she dropped the blade at his feet. Adah wept as she heard her friends cry of pain tear through the silence. The large brutish man grabbed Sameera's neck, his grip becoming tighter until the sounds of her scream were reduced to silence.

"STOP!" Adah exclaim from across the room as her heart fell to her feet while her friends writhing gradually began to cease until Sameera's hands released their grasp on his wrist to eventually fall limply at her sides...

Her mind was screaming for help from someone, anyone! Unable to force her legs to move, she wept as she watched the life drain from the young woman's body from afar, little by little. The room was quiet as Sameera felt her vision begin to fade to black, her eyes flitting to Adah's sorrowful expression one last time as a single tear slid from her eye...

Adah fell to her knees, the hurtful prick of the broken wood poking into her calves, but she barely noticed as her own tears poured freely from her eyes. Her friend was being murdered right before her eyes and all she could do was glare in shock as the world around her continued to crumble at her feet. And just like every other unfortunate event to happen in her life, Adah was powerless to stop it...

At last, the large hand around Sameera's slim throat loosened its grip as the tall man slowly lowered her now lifeless body to the floor.

Blocking out the tremors of labor still wracking her body, Adah continued to stare on as if in a trance when that soft light of hopefulness from before faded completely from Sameera's eyes just before Sébastien reached down to close those empty orbs.

"Such a waste..." Sébastien announced despondently as he picked up his dagger and stood, staring down at Sameera with a cold expression.

He turned around to face the other fearful women gripping each other tightly on the floor near his men's feet, the sound of weeping filling the chamber.

"Let her be a lesson for the lot of you..." he then added before turning to head back out the door. "Gather them up and lead them out of this god forsaken place. The sooner the Captain gets the orb, the sooner we can head back to our homelands."

One of the shorter men stepped forward, raising the iron visor at the front of his helm to speak without obstruction. "But sir! What about this one?"

The clatter of his boots stopped at Adah's side and she cowered as he reached down to grasp her under the arm. She went limp and let herself be pulled. None of them had touched her so far, but right now she felt as though she had already been beaten as the devastation of Sameera's death drained her psyche.

"The condition she is in only makes her more trouble than she is worth... Just bring her out here!" Sébastien called out as he exited the door and entered the garden.

Adah panicked as the heavily armored man began to tug her small form across the floor by her arm, her eyes locking on Sameera's still body as she was dragged past and out the door. She was laid on the cold bristly grass when her arm was released, watching in tears and fright as the rest of the Houri were led out into the morning cold to face a terrible fate. A fresh shock of pain coursed up her back and stomach, forcing her to curl over once more, clutching her abdomen.

"Listen up!" Sébastien's called to his men, his voice booming loudly across the garden. "The child this one carries undoubtedly belongs to an Assassin and if he's still alive, he will come looking for her... And when he does, he will lead us directly to the orb."

The short soldier stepped forward once more. "What if he is already dead?"

"Then it is simple. We will kill her..." he shrugged in response. "Now tie her up and we will use her as her bait."

Adah's hazel eyes met with Nadidah's horrified expression as she sat opposite her across the grass. She looked on as Nadidah was forced to lie on her side while her hands and feet were bound with a thick rope behind her back.

Nadidah's charcoal eyes stared back as she observed Adah's shaking form then she gestured with her eyes towards the open gate of the fortress not far from where they sat. Adah looked confused for a moment until Nadidah became more urgent and made a small noise of desperation. Finally Adah glanced curiously at the soldier still tying Nadidah's wrists before cautiously looking to gate as the other soldier's tied the remaining Houri. Suddenly Adah scrambled up from the ground and darted through the passageway just as the blonde soldier turned back and noticed she was gone...

...

Ducking the swing of a soldier's long sword, Altaїr quickly sidestepped him before the soldier could regain his footing. With steps as fluid as his movement, he then darted behind the soldier and kicked back of the fighter's knee to force him to the ground. The adrenaline roared through Altaїr's ears as the forgotten stimulant of adrenalin during battle ignited every nerve within his body. The minute the soldier fell to his knees, Altaїr jammed the length of his blade down through the soldier's armored shoulder, severing it deep into the chest. The agonizing cry of the man at his feet went unheard as it mended with the city noise.

Jerking his scimitar free, Altaїr gave a quick survey of the battle behind him. His men were still holding strong as the invading army's numbers were being diminished slowly but surely. But even as he watched the fiercest of fighters fall around him, his mind couldn't resist wandering to the woman he was forced to abandon when she needed him the most.

Altaїr growled in frustration. Searching for Adah now was not an option. Plus leaving his men to fend off the intruders alone in order to secure the safety of the orb at the fortress could lead to disaster for the people of the city.

In effort to contain the menace for now, Altaїr took off towards the nearest home standing by the gate. Sliding the sharp blade of his scimitar between his teeth, he then climbed up the side to the roof. Once he crested the top, he reached over his shoulder and threw his short blade towards the thick rope pegged to the ground that held the tall wooden gates open, cutting it clean through.

"SEAL THE GATES!" he called to his archers still picking off the heavily armored soldiers from their perch above in their respective towers on either side of the entrance.

If these men were foolish enough to storm into a city dominated by Assassin's then they must be just as foolish to think they would leave these gates alive. He then called out to Malik who jumped down from his perch above where he'd scrambled up for a better vantage point with the archers.

Altaїr slid down from the rooftop quickly with ease and promptly instructed Malik to find Adah. Whether that meant overturning the entire fortress, he honestly didn't care. He had to find her before it was too late... Assuming it wasn't already.

He watched with scimitar held tightly in hand as Malik darted off and grabbed a handful of Assassin's to assist him in his search while the rest continued to defend the city that was their home.

Before the archers could lock the gates into place, the heavy wooden logs suddenly tore open, knocking them off their bindings as a large brown steed galloped inside. The racket of splintering wood forced the confrontation before the gates to come to a grinding halt as fighters of both sides paused to examine the scene.

Altaїr turned and stared as a broad shouldered man, strapped head to toe in battle worn armor of black and gold hopped down from the horse. He frowned under his white hood as he caught sight of the heavy spiked mace strapped to the man's waist.

Flanked by another large group of what appeared to be more of these foreign soldier's, he immediately began issuing orders from behind his iron helm. "Continue to scour the city! Leave not one home or dungeon unsearched and by the end of this day, the Piece of Eden WILL rest in my hands!"

Altaїr slipped back behind the home near the gates and scaled his way up to the roof, slinking quietly along the rooftops. His mind was working feverishly as all the pieces he'd found over the last month slowly began to mix together and a malevolent smirk pulled at his rounded lips. Had the elusive man he had been searching for all this time just stepped boldly into his fortress? Could he truly be this willing to throw his life away and walk willingly into his own coffin? Then so be it. Altaїr took a deep breath as a futile attempt to calm the rush of anger and frustration that had festered inside him all these months of endless searching only to come up empty handed.

The grin faded from his face as Altaїr felt his knuckles crack around the hilt of the scimitar still held firmly in his grasp. His eyes focused solely on the man below him that was hastily issuing orders as his usually calm demeanor melted away and his emotions boiled into that only known as hatred. He knew he should never hold a grudge or feel anger or resentment towards his targets, but this man had done more than threaten his own life. He'd threatened his fortress, his men, and what little loved ones he did possess.

Slowly the man in black and gold moved down from his horse and took the large spiked mace from his waist and stepped forward, the clank of his heavy armor sounding with each step.

"Wait!" he called out with a raised glove. stopping his soldiers one final time. "Be on your guard. The Master of the Assassin's lurks somewhere within that fortress atop the hill... I want you to bring him to me."

He then pointed in several directions as the group of soldier's behind him then split off into different groups to fight their way in and begin their search.

Altaїr stabbed the tip of the scimitar into the wood of the roof below his feet and felt the tenants of his Creed trickle off his shoulders like the heat of the sun beaming down upon him on a hot day.

Once the soldier's were dispatched, the man in black proceeded up the path to the fortress, his mace held firmly out at his side. It appeared he may have underestimated the Assassin's of Masyaf. More than half of his men were already dead... A creak from above one of the small home's lining the path managed to capture his attention. He stopped, listening for the same sound as his uncertainty urged him to twirl the spiked mace at his side to prepare for an attack.

After dipping into the shadow of the homes chimney that was cast from the rising sun, a pair of golden brown eyes stared down over the roofs edge, locking again onto the portentous figure in black.

Upon hearing no further response, the now uneasy man resumed his path towards the fortress, his pace slowed to remain on high alert.

Now was his chance. Hurriedly stepping out from the shadows, Altaїr leapt from the edge of the rooftop with a practiced grace as the tiny shink of his hidden blade sprang from the gauntlet of his extended wrist.

...

Gasping as several pains shot down her side and underneath her swollen belly, Adah called out for help as she struggled into the city through the townsfolk scattering about in fear. Her calls for help went unheard while she clutched at her side. Hoping to lose any pursuers from the fortress in the crowd, she wobbled about and held herself up against anything crossing her path. She couldn't stop. To protect herself and unborn, she must keep going, must keep fighting! The tears leaking down her cheeks dried in the cold air as she tore through the city, thinking of only Altaїr and the aggressive pain wrenching into her side.

Suddenly the idea of running _anywhere_ wasn't as appealing as it was a few minutes ago.

She lost her footing and fell to her knees from the pain that was growing constant. Her eyes darted in every direction, praying to catch a glimpse of Altaїr among the scattered Assassin's far off near the entrance gates as they continued to let loose on a killing spree. She skid to the left to avoid the commotion and entered the residential district, slipping between two houses and running straight for the back door at her right. Hopefully someone was home, God help her she prayed that someone was not too afraid to come to the door! Her nails clawed at the dried wood of the old rickety door, her screams for help all but shallow winded cries as she pounded on the door in fear. Suddenly it lurched open to her shock and she collapsed on the cold living room tile.

When Adah looked up and locked eyes with the last woman she expected to see at this door, it was as if the chaos outside had gone quiet as the cries of the city in panic now fell on deaf ears. Adah grit her teeth and closed her eyes as the ever present promise of misfortune reared its ugly head the moment she realized that yet again, she ran for that old rickety house at the bottom of the hill that was once Bushra's home. To her dismay, the incident between her and this woman flashed before her eyes like so many other forcibly forgotten memories that resurfaced no matter how hard she tried to forget... It was the same woman who told her shoo and that she had no money to support a common whore.

Of all people to run into in her most dire time of need, of course it would be none other than _her.._. She did not know this woman, nor had she ever cared to. But yet again it appeared fate's ridiculously wicked sense of humor was going to make sure it had a last laugh before this horrifying night would ever come to an end.

She gripped the wet fabric below her stomach and wept on the floor of this stranger's home, feeling as though the world too, was turning its back on her just the way everyone else had done her entire life. Although this time she wasn't going to allow it, couldn't stand by and watch it crumble to sand, seep between her fingers and toes and blow away with the next passing wind.

She'd already lost Sameera and with the danger skulking around outside these walls, Altaїr's soul could very well be drifting somewhere right alongside Sameera's for all she knew... But if she did not get help from this woman, her and this child would follow right behind them.

Adah brought her slick hand to her face to see the odd liquid from her dress in more light and frowned as a small tear trickled off the end of her nose. This child was coming and time was running out for them both.

"I need your help..." Adah strained out in a small voice, forcing her spiteful emotions and pride aside for the time being. Now was not the time to care what this woman thought of her seeing as there was someone much more important in need of this woman's help to be brought into this world.

Slowly the short, seemingly bitter older woman looked Adah over all the while keeping her distance, her unfeeling eyes raking over the young woman's shaking form. The poor thing seemed thoroughly terrified and was clutching underneath her enlarged stomach as she struggled to regulate her breath.

It was better not to get involved... Masyaf was being attacked right before their eyes and now a strange girl was laying on her floor in distress, ready to give birth at any moment. She moved to back further away, but made a start when Adah reached out and grabbed her ankle.

"Please... I've no one left! Do not abandon me too..."

To her relief, the woman's frown softened. After the longest moment, she sighed and crawled down next to her. She grasped Adah's hand in her own after giving her a small nod and said, "You certainly could not have picked a more terrible time for your birthing knots to break..."

"It is not as if I had a choice." Adah groaned out, grimacing as another labor pain zipped up her side.

The woman's olive stare scanned Adah's face as she brushed several stray wet strands of hair away out of her eyes. "There is something very familiar about you... Where have I seen you before?"

Quickly Adah turned to her in puzzlement then winced. If she did not remember that dreadful occurrence, then she certainly was not going to jog her memory. Besides now was not the time.

"What is your name?"

"Ah-Adah," she choked out with a strained breath and cast her eyes downward. "And I am sorry, but you must be mistaken... We have never met."

She frowned under the woman's probing eyes searching her closely, reminding her of a certain Assassin that often did the same and she averted her eyes.

"Very well, I am Hessa."

Suddenly Adah cried out and the woman snapped back to her senses not a second too soon. The ache in Adah's lower belly was slicing her down the middle.

"Listen, you must do as I say. I want you to lay back now and do not move from this spot!" Hessa ordered.

Adah watched when Hessa then jumped up from the floor to lock the back door and disappeared behind a long ornately designed rug that covered the passage to the kitchen at the head of the house. Before she knew it, the woman soon emerged not moments later with several large white cloths, two small bottles filled with what looked like some medicinal herbs, and a small wooden pale filled with fresh water.

Adah began to writhe on the floor from the pain, wiggling when the woman forced her to lay back and once she knew what was to come next she cried out, "Wait! On second thought, I do not think I am ready for this! It is too soon."

The woman sat at her legs and reached down to shove Adah's dress up past her knees, forcing her squirming thighs up and apart. "Most of the time we never are. Thankfully I have done this many times before in my family as I was growing up. You'll do fine."

Willing herself to do as she was told, Adah closed her eyes and tried to relax when the press of a cool, wet cloth was dabbed to her forehead. She forced herself to take several deep breaths and felt a cloth being draped over her thighs then bunched up around her hips as she lay lax over the cool tile beneath her. But the calm moment was short lived and almost immediately everything below her belly button curled up into knots and wound up her lower back.

She let out a harsh shriek.

Hessa's brow wrinkled, gnawing at her lower lip with worry when Adah's body went taut. "It appears your time may have come sooner than we thought. Now I am sure you will hate to hear this, but I will not lie to you, Adah. This will not be an easy task and I just pray that you are capable of pushing when I say. "

Adah's eyes closed tight and she grit her teeth in pain. This is just the beginning? Never would she have imagined this would cause so much pain! If only she could go back to a time when all this began, before that night in Jerusalem to tell herself to steer clear of the Bureau where she'd caved in and gave herself to Altaїr. She heard Hessa's voice ordering her to push, but she just couldn't. It felt like her back was being stabbed at an angle and the knife was twisting its way through her front. Her fists balled up in the cloth beneath her, shaking with stress.

Hessa reached forward and grabbed her chin, Adah's eyes popping open to make her focus. "You must do as I instruct! Now brace down on your lower body and try to push the child out, Adah. It is the only way."

"I cannot do this! It _hurts_!" Adah wailed, wanting nothing more than to close her legs and curl over on her side again.

"Look, this child needs your help whether you want to or not! If you think this is difficult now, not pushing is going to make this much _worse_!" Hessa argued with a stern expression. For this child to be coming so soon, it was a wonder that this young girl managed to land at her doorstep at a time like this. The city outside was teeming with danger, yet she knew if she could make it this far, she would survive this too.

Adah began to sob, her chin quivering from the terror and frustration of the past events. She just could not do this! Her body was shuddering with an unrivaled pain and even still her mind kept wandering to thoughts of Sameera. She had always hoped to be here when the time came... And now she was gone and what's worse, she had not even had a moments respite to grieve for her!

But she had to do it, for her unborn and for Altaїr... Enough time had gone by already since this began and Hessa was right. The more she hesitated, the worse it became. After a long moment of debating within herself, Adah finally pushed herself up and tried desperately to tighten her muscles and push as Hessa had instructed.

At first it seemed as though nothing was happening and this had all been a dramatic waste of time and energy that Adah was running out of. She groaned in frustration, ready to throw it all away when slowly but surely, the sensation of something within began to move and tear at her insides little by little. She swore it felt like her insides were burning!

Hessa continued to urge her on, her own excitement building as she prepared herself at Adah's open legs for the birth.

Adah's back went rigid as the torturous pain seemed to heighten to a new level unseen with every push. She just wanted someone to lull this horrendous pain away no matter what they must do.

"You are doing well, very well." Hessa encouraged. Her hands gripped Adah's wriggling knees to help hold the girl still as she tried with all her might to bring this baby into the world.

"Push Adah, _push_!"

"I am _trying_!" Adah snapped. But every time she pushed, the more tired she became.

By now Adah was almost to the point of bawling with each heart wrenching spasm. The breaks between contractions that she had been gifted with earlier were practically nonexistent now. Her spine seemed to twist with agony and she screeched as she fought to shove the child from within.

Just when Adah thought she could not take anymore, Hessa's face brightened and she smiled. "Oh, I can see it! You can do it, you must hurry Adah!"

Giving it her all, Adah gave one final push and collapsed to the floor, struggling to regain her breath as the pain that had been threatening to wrench her insides into smaller pieces these past few hours slowly began to subside.

Hessa's smile widened, her olive eyes lighting up now that she was finally able to tug the small screaming infant from its surprisingly quiet mother.

"Marhaba, little one!" she exclaimed excitedly and laid the baby a top a soft, already prepared cloth. Immediately Hessa grabbed the small bottles and extra cloths to work diligently at cleaning the tiny baby up. "Adah... Come take a look at your son!"

Slowly she looked back to Adah's still form when she heard no response. "Adah?"

She paused, her eyes growing wide with worry the moment she looked down and saw the dark stain of blood spreading all too quickly along the cloth from beneath the young girl's legs.

...

To Be Continued...

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the final chapter to Addiction coming soon!

The Rusty Peach


	10. Eternally Found

Altaїr let the steady pull of the earth and the cool morning air guides his hidden blade, steering his descent down from the rooftop. Closer and closer, his heart pounding in his ears with rage. Altaїr's hand reared back to deliver his fatal blow only to be caught by surprise, his golden brown eyes growing wide when his target suddenly whipped around and shouted, "What kind of fool do you take me for?" and swung the heavy spiked mace in his direction.

Everything went black as Altaïr felt the heavy weapon lick into his side, the momentum of it hurling him into a vacant wooden merchant stand off to the side. The stand immediately collapsed under his weight on impact, snatching his breath from his lungs.

The armored man's footsteps began to quicken pace towards the groaning Assassin barely moving atop the broken and splintered pile of dried wood.

"Did you really think you could sneak up on me, Assassin? I have been studying your kind for far longer than you could ever imagine. Your underhanded tricks will not prevail, not on this day."

Slowly Altaїr turned to his side and shook his head of the darkness masking his vision, coughing as his lungs shook with each profound gasp to recover the air stolen from them. He opened his eyes and his blurred vision cleared just in time to see the angered intruder looming over him, mace swinging wildly above his head in preparation to land another strike and finish the job. Altaїr quickly rolled the opposite way and pushed himself to his feet, stumbling as he struggled to remove the broken leather belt, now cracked after taking the brunt of blow, from around his waist. He grimaced as his shoulder crashed into the brick lining the walkway, an arm instantly wrapping around his waist as the broken leather belt flew to the ground. Coughing up a bit of blood, he watched it splatter to the ground and stole a glance behind him before looking down at his forearm that was gashed by his fall into the wood.

The other man was regaining his footing and let loose a barrage of curses in French after missing his strike point and was pulled down into the wood by the heavy mace. Altaїr used the wall as a brace and hunched over as he fought to ignore the pain of his side that sent sparks of white exploding behind his eyes. Quickly he snatched up a discarded scimitar near his feet, undoubtedly left astray from the battle still flaring near the gates of the fortress.

"What is wrong Assassin? Afraid of death?" the other man chuckled lowly as he observed his opponents suddenly withdrawn attitude.

Altaїr glared at him as he pushed himself away from the wall, his blade held tightly in his fists and huffed out, "If you have been watching us for so long... you would know we do not fear death. We embrace it."

"Well, if you are smart, you will stay where you are..." The other man called out, his French accent thick and muffled from behind his iron helm.

"It does not seem as though I am the one who is afraid." Altaїr responded and straightened his stance, shaking his head once again to rid himself of the constant ringing in his ears. His steps began to falter as he moved towards his opponent.

The tall man in black watched in amusement while the Assassin struggled to gather his footing as though watching a newborn foal stand for the first time. "Do not flatter yourself. My fight is not with you."

"Oh but I think it is... You are looking for the Master, are you not?" Altaïr quipped and stopped to focus, his eyes never looking away from him.

The man's eyes bulged behind his helmet before a smirk slowly etched its way over his lips.

"_YOU_... are the so called _Master_ of the Assassin's? I have spent at least a year in wait of this moment and this is what I find?" he questioned incredulously, his eyes scanning the battered Assassin up and down. He chuckled, noticing the stain of blood leaking along his white robe from his arm. "You are taller than I expected, but nevertheless, you are just a young man!"

Altaїr said nothing, staring back just as evenly.

The man continued. "Well if what you say is true, then you have just made my search that much easier!"

He quickly began to twirl his mace at his side once more with the intent on making sure his next blow would be final. They circled each other slowly in the narrow walkway of the merchant district, Altaїr's own blade out held firmly out at his side.

The armor clad man kept stride with Altaїr as they kept an equal distance from each other, leery and ever watchful. "Why don't you tell me where I can find the Piece of Eden? There could be a position for you in my higher ranks that might interest you if you do... Just imagine, you could have all the power, money... and women."

Altaїr merely chuckled and dismissed the notion, causing the man to frown. "Everything that I need... is right here."

"You Assassin's are such cowards. Right now, you hold more power in your hands than you could ever imagine, yet you have done absolutely nothing with it. You could create a new world and rule over these lands in a way that no one could." The other man responded with disdain.

"You know not of which you speak, Outlander."

"That's where you are mistaken. The King's effort to push Christianity on your people has been worthless and so was Robert DeSable's plan to overthrow him in order to create his own new world order. The King only wanted his beliefs to be held as truth for as far as his army could reach and Robert only wanted the orb for that same power, but only for himself. Now if they simply came together, they could both have had exactly what they wanted. But they failed... because of you and your Master!"

Altaїr bristled at his statement.

"But now it is my turn. If you will not join me, then I will take it all for myself..." he continued. "I promise you, this battle will not be an easy one."

"And I can promise you, Outlander, that your death will not be a merciful one." Altaїr countered. He twirled the handle of the long scimitar within his fingers then advanced quickly on him.

The Outlander swayed and swung the mace in an upward strike in Altaïr's direction who jumped back in time to dodge it. He attempted to land several blows on the Assassin, but was to no avail. The space they fought in was tight and the other was fast, able to evade the heavy mace, but with difficulty. The wound in his side was a hindrance he noted and would have to use it to his advantage.

Altaïr clutched above his hip, struggling not to curl over into the pain as he moved. This battle needed to end soon if he wanted to secure the orb and his city. The safety of its people depended on it. The Outlander's swing was slow, but he could recover quickly and that made it tricky, yet all the more interesting.

Cautiously, Altaïr waited for just the right opening to strike and dipped below the mace's swing to side step the Outlander who was caught by surprise when he lost his footing over the sandy walkway steps. The sharpened blade of his scimitar cut deep through the Outlander's armor and into his thigh, slicing it clean to the bone. The man cried out in agony and dropped his heavy weapon. Altaïr twisted around from behind him and jerked the curved blade forward to pierce the man's torso, but his fluid movements were also foreseen and missed.

The Outlander dove away from him and crawled up to limp along the cold dusty pathway and tear through the empty streets towards the Assassin's fortress.

"And I am the _coward_..." Altaïr huffed and hopped over the brick railing of the walkway.

Without delay, he ran in between two homes and jumped his way up the sides using the opposite walls as leverage to scamper to the roof. He saw the armored man moving in haste up the road even with his damaged leg and he bolted after him, skipping along the rooftops and merchant stands.

The Outlander glanced behind him as he heard Altaïr's heavy boots closing in atop the rickety merchant stands behind him. He tore around the corner just in time as the last stand he passed collapsed, the crashing of wood and clay pots breaking in Altaïr's wake as he leapt from its top, barely missing him. He took the opportunity to speed up. The fortress was so close where his men waited to aid him once he reached it. He exited the merchant district, grasping his thigh in pain as he made his way up the fortress steps.

Altaïr's slid low to a stop once he hit the ground, wincing at the ache of his side and watched with irritation as the Outlander awkwardly crept up the steps and blared through the gates. Slightly winded, he pushed himself up and took off after him. The fortress was his domain and no one knew it better than him. He would make sure it was the last step the Outlander would ever make.

He stopped in his tracks once he reached it and was surprised to find the training yard out front quiet and barren. His golden eyes scanned the grounds as he walked quietly towards the library, hearing only the crunch of his boots over the cold, dry earth. He kept his scimitar close at his side and crept through his library.

It was in shambles, his books thrown from their overturned shelves. Several of his guard's bodies lay across the floor amongst the debris and he rushed up to one of them the moment he saw movement.

"Mihran?" Altaïr said quietly as he pushed away the bookshelf lying over his body. He wasted no time in crawling down to him. Slowly Mihran opened his eyes and looked up at his Master with a painful expression. Altaïr began to shove the books off the young man but stopped as the bloodied stain of his grey robe and a long gash across his torso came into view. Mihran groaned, his intake of breath strangled as he attempted to rise, but Altaïr stopped him. The minute his eyes had scanned over the younger man's chest, he knew the wound would claim his life...

"Mihran, you must not move..." he said and looked away from the other man's eyes and scanned the library cautiously as he held him down amongst the rubble of books.

"I must keep fighting... " Mihran choked out, his hands gripping the cloth of Altaïr's robe as he fought against the darkness that had come to claim him. "I swore my life to serve you the day I became-... a member of the Brotherhood..."

"And you have served me well, my friend." Altaïr responded and gripped the red stained hand Mihran had offered to him tightly.

The other Assassin slowly laid back into the dusty tomes, his breath shallow and no longer capable of fighting off the inevitable. Gradually, Mihran's dark brown eyes grew vacant as they stared vaguely up at the towering ceiling of the library. "I am dying..." he sighed shakily, "Aren't I?"

Altaïr gave a slight nod as he leaned over and looked into his expressionless eyes. "Yes... You are strong fighter, Mihran... But it is time now that you must let go."

The young man beneath him looked at him one more time and Altaïr watched quietly as the labored breaths of the other Assassin slowly ebbed away. "It... It has been an honor to have served you... my Master."

Altaïr looked down at his hand when he felt Mihran's grip lessen, his eyes darting back to the young man's face when he let out a quiet sigh and departed from this world. Slowly Altaïr reached up to close the other man's eyes and pulled his grey hood over his head and into place.

Altaïr sat next to his guard, rage starting to well within his chest. He didn't want to think of the number of men who had been lost already... The shriek of a woman filled the air and Altaïr's white hooded head darted up from his glaze of fury.

'_The Houri...'_ he thought and scowled as his mind reverted back to the Outlander's escape from his clutches.

He removed the dagger holster from Mihran's chest and buckled it to him and grabbed his scimitar then tread carefully to the garden behind the library, leaving behind the body of his youngest member of the Brotherhood. His eyes widened slightly when he found the man in question and a few of his men standing over the Houri who sat about the cold grass in roped bonds. Nadidah looked up at him as he entered and she whimpered slightly behind her gag, garnering the attention of the Outlander's men.

"Well it is about time you arrived. We have yet to finish what we started... I believe you were still attempting to kill me." the Outlander spoke somewhat sarcastically under his helm as he stepped forward from the men.

"Trust I will get to it." Altaïr stated, noticing the Outlander's arm held suspiciously behind his back, mace held tightly in the other. He took his time and scanned the scene before him. The Houri were huddled together in the middle of the group of foreign men, frightened and wide eyed. He saw one of the twins look at him and shake her head, a warning etched in her large black eyes.

The burly man with blonde hair and crimson armor stepped up from the others and to the Outlander's side. "Let me kill him! I want to see if he will provide more of a challenge than their women."

The Outlander gave a nod and outstretched an arm, sending his handful of men in the direction of the single Assassin in a crimson blaze. The Houri scampered from the ground, screaming as they darted to the far corners of the garden. Altaïr jumped atop the railing of the steps and took off, the intruding men chasing him along the icy tile of the garden. Reaching over his shoulder, the Assassin pulled several daggers out between his fingers and without hesitation he flung them in their direction in a spray of perfectly aimed death, killing all but the blonde. When the blonde followed after him hot at his heels, Altaïr dove from the rail towards the cold, hard ground. Anticipating the other's movements when he hit the dried grass, the Assassin spun to his back and watched with a malicious smirk as the blonde's eyes widened in surprise to find his weight inevitable weight had descended upon the long scimitar instead.

Enraged that his men were slain so quickly, the Outlander then pulled the Piece of Eden out from behind his back. "You cannot win this Assassin! My men have torn this place to shreds and finally found what I have been searching for!"

Long ago having lost his calm demeanor, Altaïr was fueled by anger as he hurled the now dying man from atop him. Jerking his blade from the body quickly, he darted up and ran towards the Outlander who had limped his way back to the stairs to add more space between him and his white robed opponent. His golden eyes focused on the yellow light of the orb beginning to flicker in the man's grasp and the Outlander fell back against the slick steps when Altaïr closed the distance in the blink of an eye. The Assassin immediately sat over him, pressing him down with his weight and raised his scimitar above his head with the intent on driving it into the Outlander's chest to put an end to it before it could even begin. The Outlander's eyes filled with panic, struggling to bring the orb completely to life as the blade came down. Altaïr groaned with irritation, feeling the unseen pressure of the Piece of Eden against his might as it responded to the man's will, preventing his blade from piercing his armor. Images of the now dead members of the Brotherhood flashed through his mind as he struggled to drive blade forward, until he thought of the woman he swore to protect. He'd promised himself that he would no matter what, even if it meant his life. He didn't if she was even still alive, but he refused to let her down for another time. Holding his blade steady he reached back and grabbed his last dagger from the holster and jammed it into an opening in the Outlander's armor along his side. The moment he screamed in pain, the orb's bright light became unstable, releasing the persistent resistance and allowed Altaïr to thrust his long blade deep within the armored man's chest.

A guttural groan pierced the air and Altaïr slowly leaned down, his voice deep and scornful as he spoke between heavy breaths."The Piece of Eden is only powerful... as long as the mind that controls it remains focused."

Malik skid through the garden gate, his men readily behind him. He watched the event over the steps as the armored man he saw before cry out beneath Altaïr, the Assassin gripping him tightly at the armor covering his chest. His men moved forward to aid Altaïr, but Malik raised a hand to stop them.

"No, this victory belongs to Altaïr... We will not interfere."

The man's distressing cry was silenced as Altaïr tugged the lengthy blade buried in the man's chest upward several times, his hands grasping at its hilt beneath the Assassin's fingers in vain. Altaïr stared down into wide icy blue eyes filled with anguish even through the opening of his helm and he watched with satisfaction as the life drained from the man's gaze.

"I swore your death would not be a merciful one..." Altaïr stated harshly and jerked the blade one final time as the man went stiff, "...and I have kept my promise."

"Altaïr!" Mailk called as he finally ran down to him and grabbed his shoulder tightly. "Let him go, Altaïr... It is over."

The Assassin continued to glower as he stood then pressed the sole of his leather boot against the man's torso to wrench his blade from the Outlander's chest to finish him off.

"Do you not want to see his face?" Malik asked with furrowed brows, but gave up when Altaïr remained quiet and gave the Outlander one final glare before allowing his stoic mask to once again slip back into its place. Altaïr shook his head finally and leaned down to pluck the Piece of Eden from the Outlander's grasp.

"Well the battle at the city gates has died down and all that remains are a few stragglers of his men who are being snuffed out as we speak." Malik continued next to Altaïr as he watched his men move about to retrieve the scattered Houri and untie them. "You have done well, Altaïr... Despite all that has happened, I am sure that even Al Mualim would have been proud."

Altaïr's golden brown gaze looked back at Malik before turning to stare down at the lifeless body as a small pool of blood leaked down the steps.

They both turned as one of Malik's men ran up through the garden entrance, his face alight with news. "Malik, Master... We believe we have found her."

...

Altaïr's mind raced as he and Malik sped down through the city towards the residential district at the bottom of the hill. None of them knew for sure if she still lived as Malik's guard had not been allowed entrance into the woman's home where Adah was harbored. The sun had finally risen and Altaïr was able to see the destruction and dead bodies of various members of the Brotherhood who had given their lives to protect the city.

"It is here!" called Malik's guard as he came to stop and leaned over to catch his breath while waiting for his superiors to catch up.

Altaïr ran up albeit a bit slower with the injury at his arm and side still aching, Malik close at his heels. He looked down at the guard still working to recover his breath then looked to the door as the guard pointed to the small home at their right.

Altaïr trekked up to it and stopped. He took a quick glance back to Malik who responded with a somber expression in his chocolate eyes and nodded. Slowly Altaïr's leather gauntleted hand rose to the door and he paused for a moment, noticing it still smeared with small amounts of blood, before wracking his knuckles against the wood.

It remained quiet as the men stood before the door. Hearing no response he knocked with a bit more force. Still nothing. Altaïr groaned and leaned against the frame of the doorway, gripping his aching right arm, noticing it had bled completely through the lower half of his sleeve. Malik made a sound to say something, but Altaïr silenced him with a raised hand. "It is not I that I am concerned about now."

Altaïr pulled back his white hood and pressed his ear to the door. This time he heard rustling as someone grew closer until the door opened partially and he found himself staring down at an older woman with short peppery hair and olive eyes.

"I have told you for the last time, you _cannot_ ent-" Hessa began, but her voice died away. She gasped and her eyes widened in astonishment. "The Master of the Assassin's..." she breathed out.

Her eyes looked over Altaïr's tall frame as he leaned against her door, noticing the red stain of his left arm where he clutched tightly. She also gave the man behind him a good once over, his black robes and missing arm giving him a menacing appearance although his face expressed a different tone. It was odd for two men of their status to formally make an appearance at your doorstep despite the raid that occurred just an hour earlier.

"Is there a young girl here?" Altaïr asked quietly. "She is of dark skin, long curly hair..."

The older woman eyed them both again and glanced back into her home. Without hesitation, she pulled back the heavy door and allowed the two men to enter. Quickly Altaïr trekked inside, looking about the house for any other signs of life.

"Wait! You must not go in there!" he heard the woman's voice call behind him as he quickly brushed back the ornate rug blocking his entrance into the main room. He stopped, his golden eyes widening the moment they locked with the sight that lay over the cold tile floor.

Adah's small form lay still and unmoving, covered only by the white cloth that was strewn haphazardly over her. It was soaked through by a pool of crimson that had seeped from beneath her. Altaïr heard Malik's sharp intake of breath behind him as he too emerged to observe the scene.

The room smelled of blood and it sickened him to see her drenched in it. The pain of his side and arm became that of a distant memory as Altaïr stepped over to her and sank to his knees. He noticed the bulge of her stomach was gone and felt himself go numb inside. His brows furrowed and his widened eyes shot around the small room in search of the missing infant. Finally he looked back to her when his search yielded no results and his hands shook as he ran them over her cold cheeks and naked shoulders. Her eyes remained closed behind her thick smoky lashes and he quietly muttered for her to awaken although it was so low he wasn't sure the command even slipped past his lips.

"Adah, you must rise..." he tried again as he felt another part of him dying inside when she continued to lay limp. Before he knew it he grasped her upper arms and shook her softly.

Altaïr tensed and gritted his teeth as he stared down at the young girl below him, his face a mask of torment. The words he waited so long to hear from her rattled over and over in his mind, when she had at long last told him she loved him. She couldn't leave him behind. He had come too far and worked too hard for those words just for her to disappear where he could never get her back. But there was so much blood. He shook her much harder this time.

The older woman stepped into the room and called for Altaïr to stop. Her steps were halted as Malik's good arm shot up to prevent her passage. "Wait..." he stated low to her, his own eyes never leaving Adah.

But Altaïr never heard them as the room had gone completely still around him the moment irises of the warmest hazel fluttered open and met with his. Suddenly her upper half was pulled into his warm, strong embrace and Adah closed her eyes, smiling softly to herself at the press of his full lips to her forehead.

"I was afraid I would never see you again..." He pulled back at the sound of her strained voice and felt his expression soften as he looked at her, her tired bronze face just as lovely as ever to him even in her state. After a moment, the tension of the past few minutes commenced to evaporate from his troubled psyche as though the weight of the entire city was lifted from his shoulders. Her lower half was surrounded in so much blood, but she was alive... Very much alive.

Adah's half-lidded gaze looked up into his handsome, rugged face as his eyes continued to search over her as though he were trying to make sure what he saw was truth. She took a moment to really look at him when he reached to brush away the sweaty ebony locks drooping into her face. There was a red stain of his arm where he was hurt, the warm wetness of his own blood oozing slowly against the cold skin of her shoulder. The pupils of his golden eyes were large and the long fingers of his hands were trembling and for the first time, she swore he was afraid.

His gaze returned to hers when she reached up to touch his face, his eyes closing as he grasped that same hand and leaned into her touch. She was in pain and was so tired, more than she had ever been in her life.

Altaïr's eyes opened abruptly when her hand began to slide away from his face, but he forced himself to relax when the old woman crept up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder, advising that Adah had only slipped back into a much needed sleep.

...

It had taken much work to return Masyaf and the fortress back to its former glory after the raid. Many of its inhabitants had perished, but their lives were not given in vain. On that same day, Altaïr had the Piece of Eden buried away with the dead in a tomb deep under the heart of the fortress and had to fight himself inwardly to not go in to retrieve it as it was removed from his grasp. The Outlander's words of how much power the orb held had affected him more than he thought, but deep down he knew even when he was old and grey that he would never let another soul know of its existence. It was just too dangerous because he knew that regardless of how much good would derive from its use, the best of men could still become corrupt.

For the safety of the Holy Land and its people, Altaïr chose from that day forth to remain quiet about it and decided it best to rethink their methods and would begin anew with a more secluded existence in order for the world of the Assassin's to continue. No longer was it just himself that he had to be concerned about as he now had more than just himself to protect...

...

Groggily, Adah's hazel eyes opened as the light and warmth of the early morning sun slowly began to fill the quiet room. She was cozy and content as she peeked about from under the white afghan, recognizing the ever familiar surroundings of Altaïr's quarters. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach and her barely conscious mind caused her to shoot straight up from her bedding, throwing the afghan back to find that beneath her white robe, her rounded stomach had vanished. The sudden movement jarred her sleeping partner awake, causing him to release a muffled sound of discomfort from beneath the thick afghan.

"Altaïr!" she breathed out, her same hand rushing up over her mouth in surprise.

She found him just inches away from her, lying on his side but he didn't move. Adah blinked several times in wonder as to why he had not vanished before day break until the previous events began to consume her thoughts.

"A bit early for you to be up and about... would you not agree?" he responded. His eyes were still closed as he spoke. She noticed one of arms was wrapped in a cloth swing and his bare torso bore a thick bandage concealing his injury from her eyes and she thought sadly at the new scars added to his bandage decor.

Her mind was abuzz of confusion and fright, memories filled of fire, fighting, and death. So much death... The swell of her belly was gone, but where was the baby? She looked around the room hurriedly then back to Altaïr's motionless form still attempting to hold onto the welcoming sleep he so desperately needed. She felt her eyes well up with water as panic began to set in. The infant was nowhere in sight.

"Wh-What happened, Altaïr? The baby... He is not here!" she called out in alarm, her glassy eyes searching the room again as her fingers clutched the hem of the afghan tightly.

Altaïr finally opened his weary, golden brown eyes after sensing her distress. In frustration when Altaïr did not produce a speedy response, she moved to get up and search thoroughly on her own, but cringed as the aches and pains of her lower regions quickly made themselves known. She felt his good hand tighten about her wrist to calm her down. Why wasn't he concerned?

"I do not understand..." she whimpered softly. Suddenly her worried gaze darted to the wooden door across the room when the metal latch opened and a very familiar woman entered the room.

"There you are..." Hessa smiled, carrying in a round woven basket covered by a red cloth. "You have been sleeping for several days. The Master and I were beginning to fear you would not awaken."

Altaïr pushed himself to a sitting position next to her, wincing at the pain of his side springing to life. The older woman took a seat on the floor next to Adah and carefully placed the round basket in the young girl's lap. "It looks like I have arrived just in time. You see, someone has been very eager to meet you."

Adah stared dumbly at the basket in front of her. She looked up at Altaïr who presented her with a lop-sided smile and nod of encouragement. Very carefully she peeled back the red cloth and peered into the basket, her wet hazel eyes becoming wide with bewilderment at finding another tiny pair of sleepy hazel ones peeping out at her under the red cloth. She gasped and blinked several times practically in disbelief, her mouth slack at a loss for words as feelings of relief poured through every nerve of her body. She wiped away a stray tear that had unknowingly fallen and reached a hand into the basket as she, for the first time, studied the resulting product of the many lustful encounters her and Altaïr had partaken in.

Her son's skin was soft, kissed with a light tan a few shades lighter than her own and his small head was covered in an unruly short, mop of hair that held an eerie resemblance to the man sitting beside her... His small face was round and chubby, the same of his grasping fingers, but already she could virtually see the long angular features of his nose and face that would continue to become so much like his father's as he grew. He looked back at her quietly, giving her a small toothless grin.

When Altaïr leaned against her to examine his son for what would probably be the twentieth time since she had been sleeping, Adah smiled softly to herself, yet she couldn't help the feeling of disappointment that washed over her.

Aside from the baby's eyes, nothing of her own features had really passed on... He was Altaїr through and through, all the way down to his tiniest toes as it seemed his father's blood line was the more dominant and sadly, she couldn't help feeling as though she had been erased.

"Adah... Hessa has agreed to remain here with you until you have regained enough of your strength." Altaïr stated quietly and outstretched his partially bandaged hand into the basket to run his fingers through the infant's soft, dark hair.

"That is right, in fact, he would not allow me to refuse even if I wanted to." Hessa chuckled lightly with a warm gaze as she watched them. "I must admit I was skeptical when he first appeared at my doorstep as the battling came to an end, but the concern in his eyes when he asked for you is what did me in. There were several casualties lost on that day, but he refused to give up on you. Later he will show you the small shrine he had built for your friend out in the back of the garden so she will never be forgotten... You are very lucky to have someone that cares for you the way that he does. There are not many in this world that ever gets to know what it feels like."

When the baby wrapped a hand around Altaïr's much larger finger and let loose a gaping yawn as fatigue set in, Adah smiled wistfully at the thought of his gesture for Sameera and she spoke." At first... I too, did not know if I would ever experience it again. Until I realized what I actually had."

They all watched in amusement as the infant's hazel eyes slowly began to close while Adah played dimly with the bottom of his tiny feet until he succumbed to sleep.

"It looks like you are not the only one who is still very much in need of rest. You both have been through a lot and he has had a very difficult and dangerous journey into this world." Hessa commented, standing up quietly to slowly pick up the basket. "I will take him for now."

"So soon?" Adah called out, her hand automatically extending towards the retreating basket.

"You will need as much rest as you can get. He will be in good hands and we will be by again later." The other woman responded and gave them both a slight bow and smile before turning to exit the room.

"Hessa..." Adah called out softly once the woman reached the door, garnering her attention one last time. "I thank you... for all that you have done. If not for you, he would have never made it."

"That will not be necessary, Adah. It is I who should be thanking you for reminding this old woman to never turn your back on those in need." Hessa said quietly and looked down at the small sleeping baby in her arms for a moment before turning back to Adah. "I have been alone for so long after my husband's death that I had forgotten what it meant. Besides, it is the least I can do. In the meantime, you two should think of what you are going to call this little one."

Altaïr and Adah both watched quietly as the woman disappeared through the wooden door and out of sight.

"She is right, you know?"Adah said finally and looked thoughtfully over to Altaïr, her face suddenly beaming as the perfect name came to mind...

But she wanted his approval first.

He smirked at her, his golden gaze looking her up and down acknowledging her mischief. "You have decided already?"

She nodded and lay down slowly amongst the bedding as Altaïr followed her descent and pressed himself against her, nuzzling her face as she said the name. "Mahdi..."

Upon realizing her reasoning behind it, Altaïr looked directly at her pleading expression and said the names meaning aloud, "The one guided to the right path."

He knew the destiny he wanted their son to lead was different than the one she was hoping for instead. But this way, it would not be up to him, nor her. Instead it would be of their son's own choosing of which path he would walk, whether it is the life of an Assassin or as just another member of society. And for some reason, it was an alternative that he felt satisfied with accepting. He nodded his approval and watched her face brighten enough to illuminate an entire room all her own. Needing no encouragement, her arms wrapped about his neck, pulling him down against her.

"It is very fitting... I am proud of you, Adah." he said low against the shell of her ear then melded his lips with hers, relishing the way the small woman beneath him dissolved with pure happiness for the first time since he could remember. She smiled at him one more time when he pulled away, her hand lingering along the side of her beloved's face and coarse stubble of his jaw before releasing him, yawning as she turned her back to him and eventually drifted off to sleep.

Altaïr's stoic mask fell and he just sat there for a while, watching her with a loving expression, a show of weakness that he reserved just for her while she slept. The gentle rise and fall of her shoulders, her dark silken skin, and long ebony locks were strewn over the white cloth of his bedding like an overturned flask of the thickest cocoa milk. How could he have ever known that the adorable little thief that trailed behind him all those years ago would be bold enough to steal his own heart right out from under him? It took him a long time to regain her love and in return of his efforts, she had given him more than anyone else has ever done by providing him with his first born son.

He pulled his arm out of its cloth sling despite the pain it caused and ran his fingertips lightly down her cloth covered spine. Before he knew it, he had lowered himself behind her. That same arm came around and his long fingers intertwined with hers as he pressed his face against her cheek, her ear. Despite her sleeping, he knew she was listening and so he whispered he loved her for the hundredth time where only she would hear.

...

_You make me feel so divine  
Your soul and mind are entwined  
Before you I was blind  
But since I've opened my eyes  
And with you there's no disguise  
So I could open up my mind  
I always loved you from the start  
But I could not figure out  
That I had to do it everyday  
So I put away the fight  
Now I'm gonna live my life  
Giving you the most in every way  
I belong to you  
And you  
You belong to me too  
You make my life complete  
You make me feel so sweet _

...

A/N: And that is it... The end. The quote above is a portion of the song 'I belong to you' by Lenny Kravtiz. Excellent song and makes me think of A & A's relationship in this story. It took me way longer than I ever expected to finish and I apologize. I thought I never would at one point because I had become blocked and the more I thought about it the more it irked me to finish it. AC was so ridiculously vague in what truly happened to Adah even though she was his only love interest. But I later discovered that in AC II, Altaïr's journal actually states that Adah had died and it had eaten him up inside because he was unable to save her. Sadly, he moves on after a long time and eventually meets another woman named Maria so instead I decided to spare Adah that fate. I think she deserved a bit more than that in this particular story. Hope all that has read Addiction has enjoyed it and thanks for reading. Feel free to let me know what you thought. I would love to hear from you! Take care!


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